Tyler Herro Rules Out; Miami Heat Face Serious.
Tyler Herro Rules Out; Miami Heat Face Serious Roster Issues. The Miami Heat will face a significant challenge in Saturday night’s matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks, as starting guard Tyler Herro has officially been ruled out due to a right thigh contusion. Herro sustained the injury during Thursday’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and was initially listed as questionable for the game. The injury sidelines him for just the fourth time this season, which is notable considering Herro’s history with minor injuries. His prior absences this year include one game for right groin tightness, one due to a stomach virus, and another because of a head cold.
Despite those setbacks, this season marks the first time in his six-year NBA career that Herro has participated in over 67 regular-season games. This is a noteworthy milestone, especially after last offseason when Heat president Pat Riley publicly referred to Herro as “fragile.” At 25 years old, Herro has been a major contributor to Miami’s offense, leading the team with an average of 23.9 points per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from beyond the arc. He’s also contributing 5.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game, showcasing his all-around value to the squad.
Herro’s absence comes at a critical point in the season as the Heat continue their push toward playoff positioning. Compounding their injury woes, the Heat will also be without several other key players. Nikola Jovic is out with a broken right hand, Kevin Love is sidelined for personal reasons, Dru Smith is recovering from left Achilles surgery, Andrew Wiggins is managing right hamstring tendinopathy, and Isaiah Stevens was ruled out after experiencing right foot discomfort during pregame warmups.
The Bucks, meanwhile, will also be shorthanded. Star guard Damian Lillard will miss the game due to deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. Additionally, Bobby Portis is serving a league-imposed suspension, and Jericho Sims is unavailable with a right thumb UCL sprain. Both teams will need to rely heavily on bench depth in what promises to be a tightly contested battle.
