Heat coach Erik Spoelstra isn’t ready to announce a decision on Tyler Herro‘s availability for tonight’s Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
Herro is suffering from a left groin strain that has forced him to miss the last three games. He underwent a morning workout today to test his condition, and Spoelstra said afterward that he remains questionable to play tonight. A final decision will be made closer to tipoff, which is set for 8:45 pm Eastern Time.
“It’s a sensitive injury,” teammate Bam Adebayo said (Twitter link from Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “He has to take his time.”
Herro suffered the injury in the fourth quarter of Game 3, leaving the Heat without an important component of their offense. The 2021/22 Sixth Man of the Year is averaging 13.5 PPG in 14 playoff games, but his three-point shot has been off as he’s connecting at just 23.2% from long distance.
There’s more from Miami:
- If Herro isn’t available, the Heat will need another strong game from Max Strus, who has delivered them frequently throughout the playoffs, notes Nick Friedell of ESPN. After missing all of his shots in Games 4 and 5, Strus bounced back in Game 6, delivering 13 points and three three-pointers. Getting significant playoff minutes for the first time in his career, Strus has started all 17 games for Miami and is averaging 11.1 points per night.
- Jimmy Butler‘s aggressiveness in attacking the basket made the difference for Miami Friday night, ESPN’s Kirk Goldsberry observes in the same piece. Butler drove into the lane 23 times in Game 6, compared to 10 times in Game 4 and nine times in Game 5. He scored 20 of his 47 points in the paint and had 11 more at the free throw line.
- P.J. Tucker said he expected Spoelstra to be “a dictator” and was pleasantly surprised to find that the coach is different behind the scenes, per Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Tucker, who signed with Miami after winning a title in Milwaukee last season, said Spoelstra can be forgiving of minor infractions such as being a few minutes late to practice and he accepts input from players. “I think he knows how hard I work,” Tucker said. “I think it makes it a little easier when you know a guy’s out there and is going to give the coverage that he chooses 110 percent and work through it and through the progressions, if it works or doesn’t work.”
Butler drove into the lane 23 times in Game 6, compared to 10 times in Game 4 and nine times in Game 5. He scored 20 of his 47 points in the paint and had 11 more at the free throw line.
Clearly his knee is affecting his game. Hope he’s good to go tonight. It would really be good to see Bam have a big gm. And others show up tonight. Gm 7 ….. let’s go
Truly believe the HEAT can get it together for game 7… Jimmy, Kyle have to be on their game… BAM needs to show up, 20pts, 10 rebound night, be aggressive, go to the basket, of course tough D, like ZO Mourning… Strus has to shoot with confidence to space the floor for Jimmy, Kyle… Watch PJ hit corner 3’s DON’T THINK TYLER WILL PLAY… Olidipo, Vincent, Martin will have to come up big off bench… DUNCAN ROBINSON may play, crowd goes crazy when & if he starts hitting 3’s…. IF STRUS, PJ, VINCENT, ROBINSON starts hitting 3’s, of course Jimmy & Kyle need to be healthy and playing well, HEAT can take it…
Hope PJ Tucker picks up player option and stays with Heat next year…Perfect player for the Heat. Can’t believe Bucks didn’t keep him…
Heat are an average playoffs team but they overachieve
Imo if all healthy
Here are the teams that are better than Heat
Warriors
Clippers
Grizzlies
Mavs
Nuggets
Suns
Bucks
Celtics
76ers
That’s why they play the game, Heat weren’t healthy all year, though they are playing in ECF…. They were deep, plug and play philosophy…They used the entire roster , plus 2 way players… even Udonis Haslem played a big part as player/ coach inspirational force keeping bench & locker room up beat and positive… as he is going now in his series….
Top three defensive teams in (Heat, Celtics, Bucks) NBA all beat the Warriors if healthy. That’s the way you beat the Warriors. Is by playing team D. Defense is half the game. When Warriors are hot they are tough to beat. But look at who’s 2,3,4 in team offense. Behind Warriors. Where Warriors are 11th in team defense …… Not going to say Warriors are lucky. But they are fortunate to have all three East teams hurting.
I’m not sure where you’re getting your numbers. GSW was #1 in def rtg in the reg season at 106.9
In the playoffs, they’re 6th at 111.5
link to statmuse.com
link to statmuse.com
link to lineups.com
It’s what I got earlier. Maybe it was set up different. My bad. It shows stats not the right order.
link to nba.com
All four are actually good D teams. I still stick by my assessment. That healthy East teams can beat Warriors.
I still see the Heat and Celtics with better interior D. Better rebounding. And more pts in the paint. Both can give Dra trouble. And that’s the one guy Warriors can’t replace. Warriors would have to have good FG% to win imo. I just do t see Warriors beating a healthy East team. Best thing that happened to Warriors is Suns losing. They looked past Mavs. And you never do that in sports. I’d say Warriors gotta be feeling good. Suns are gone Bucks are gone. Heat is banged up. And it could be first time Celtics team. I still see a good finals.
Neither team is healthy. Warriors in 6
Sounds right… If Dray stays healthy and Klay spreading the floor, that young core backing up Curry is just too much. But Celtics on a short list of teams who are deep with similarly fast athletic players are no easy out. Dray’s motor freshly tuned up, I don’t see him slacking off any time soon. Curry going to get a lot of single coverage, and it doesn’t look like he’s gonna go cold for 6 games. MSmart up in his shirt is exactly what Kerr wants. Curry might average 10+ assists in each 4 wins.
Spo is a smart coach understanding the value of Udonis. Heat playing above their roster on paper many seasons. The Bron/Wade/Bosh chip gave them the clout, with Riley legitimacy giving players a sense of history with O’Brien trophy and what it takes. Spo just such a perfect dynamic in the mix. Not a Heat fan, but I’m a fan of good teams who emphasize TEAM. Spurs have front office politics to resolve, but until Holt ownership supported Ku Klux Magatwinkie Trumpedo, Spurs had what Heat have now. Unfortunately for The Heat, GSW has that chemistry, too. And Celtics by no means should be counted out for same reasons. Udoka is great.
The most overrated coach in the NBA. His teams win despite him falling asleep on the guys on his bench. He’s put the drama back into two series this far with his usage of personnel. And Duncan Robinson, a rising star in the team’s run to the finals a couple seasons ago, mysteriously languishes on the bench as player after player clanks jump shots off the rim
That’s why they play the game, Heat weren’t healthy all year, though they are playing in ECF…. They were deep, plug and play philosophy…They used the entire roster , plus 2 way players… even Udonis Haslem played a big part as player/ coach inspirational force keeping bench & locker room up beat and positive… as he is doing now in this series…. Can’t sleep on the Heat, they play and win in the mud… they relish being the underdog…
There is a good chance Heat win tonight
1. Coach experiences
2. Homecourt advantage
3. Celtics physical and mental fatigue
Celtics have 14 playoffs games in 28 days.
I’d trade Harrison Barnes for Duncan Robinson
I’d trade you for Julius Randle …….
I would trade you both for some quiet meditation.
Everything that can be said has been said. These are similar teams. Make or miss series