Tyler Herro
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Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat has only played 11 games this season.
The Miami Heat could have Tyler Herro back as soon as possible based on the latest update for the All-Star guard. Herro has been limited to just 11 games this season due to injuries, with a rib injury keeping him out since January 17.
Herro began the campaign on the sidelines after undergoing left ankle surgery less than a month before the season started, as reported by ESPN’s Shams Charania. It was to alleviate a condition called posterior impingement syndrome, which causes pain at the back of the ankle.
The one-time All-Star missed the first 17 games of the season because of the procedure. He returned on November 24 against the Dallas Mavericks. He played in the next five games before suffering a toe injury that kept him out of 13 of the next 14 games.
Herro was back on January 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves and looked like he would give the Heat much-needed firepower. However, he was ruled out with a rib injury on January 17 and has not played a game since.
Herro Back in Practice
Tyler Herro was reportedly part of the Miami Heat’s practice on Thursday, as per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. He’s expected to get cleared to return in the next few days, as long as he doesn’t suffer any setbacks.
The Heat are back in action on Friday against the Memphis Grizzlies, but coach Erik Spoelstra was noncommittal regarding Herro’s timeline.
“He will be back,” Spoelstra said before the All-Star break. “Yes, for sure. I don’t have a timeline exactly of when that will be. … We’ll see how he progresses.”
The Heat are in the thick of a tight race for the play-in tournament spots in the East. They are 29-27 entering the second half of the season, but they are 5-5 in their last 10 games.
What Really Happened to Tyler Herro?
The Miami Heat listed Tyler Herro’s injury as a right costochondral injury to the ribs. It means that Herro was dealing with an injury to the joints where the ribs are attached to the cartilage, causing him pain.
According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, Herro actually fractured three ribs, which a source described as a buckle rib fracture. He suffered the injury in his second game back from a toe injury on January 10 against the Indiana Pacers.
Herro was able to play three more games after the injury by getting shots of Toradol to manage the pain. However, an MRI revealed the severity of the injury and ruled him out indefinitely.
Heat’s Offense Getting a Boost
Despite Erik Spoelstra’s revamped offense, the Miami Heat are struggling to score the ball after a hot start to the season. Anthony Chiang opined that Tyler Herro would give the Heat a boost on offense.
Jamie Jaquez Jr. has provided a spark on that end of the floor, but Herro is a much better offensive player. Herro is averaging 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists this season on 49.7% shooting from the field, 35.8% from 3-point range and 90.2% from the free-throw line.