The Miami Heat gave Tyler Herro the greenlight to play in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Denver Nuggets, but in a shocking turn, he didn't feature for the team. While he was on the bench and available, Erik Spoelstra stuck to his usual rotation.

It ended up to be the final game of the season, with the Nuggets edging the Heat 94-89 to close out the series and claim the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Of course it frustrated plenty of fans. There were high hopes that Herro could be a difference-maker for the Heat to extend the series, but they weren't even able to see how he can impact the team in the NBA Finals.

Spoelstra, for his part, has a good reason for opting not to play Tyler Herro. The Heat tactician emphasized that he has a responsibility to protect his players, hinting that he felt at the time that it would have been risky to let the young sharpshooter play considering the speed and intensity of Game 5.

“He's a competitor… They're not easy decisions. That was such an extreme circumstance… It's also my job as the head coach to protect him,” Spoelstra explained on Wednesday.

Sure enough, it's unlikely to convince all fans that what he did was right, but Erik Spoelstra made a decision and he has to live with it now.

Regardless if it's the right decision or not, there's no use crying over spilled milk. Heat fans will hope, however, that they will get another chance to compete for a title in the coming years,