The Miami Heat have two games left in the regular season as they prepare for a likely spot in the play-in tournament, though it is technically still possible, albeit improbable, for them to avoid it and obtain a top-six seed. Heat star Tyler Herro spoke after Wednesday's loss to the Dallas Mavericks about his return from injury and how the team is looking heading into the postseason.
Herro has played in four contests as he's coming off an absence where he has missed 20 straight games due to right foot medial tendinitis. He played in Tuesday's double-overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks where he played 48 minutes as coming off the injury, there was concerns about him playing the tail-end of the back-to-back, even from Herro himself saying he didn't know if he'll play.
To some surprise, Herro would play and start the Mavericks matchup where he led the team with 21 points while playing 36 minutes. After the game, Herro said to ClutchPoints that he felt “great” and that he is “happy” to be out on the floor with his teammates since he described the foot issue as “lagging and lingering.”
“I feel great. I'm just happy to be out here playing again,” Herro said. “I was out for so long with the injury that was just lagging and lingering on continuing to linger on so I'm happy just to be out here honestly.”
Asked Tyler Herro about his health and how there were concerns he wouldn’t play the full back-to-back.
“I feel great, I’m just happy to be out there playing again…” #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/8KKn0pCfNI
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 11, 2024
The loss to the Mavericks was a disappointing one as Miami is trying to get out of contention for the play-in tournament and their sole goal was to win out. While the Heat had control of their own destiny, they now have to rely on a ton of variables plus winning their last two games to be a top-six seed.
Herro stresses that Heat need to go back to identity
Besides looking at the post-season, there are major concerns about the Heat's performance and if they can truly replicate the magic from last season where they went to the NBA Finals as the eighth seed. Herro gave insight into the team dynamic and said that they have to “figure out a way” to go back to their identity which has resulted in major success for the team, but mentioned that injuries have been a key reason why they are continuing to adapt.
“Ultimately, we have to figure out a way that we can try to play somewhat the same identity on the offensive end game to game,” Herro said. “I feel like right now, it’s kind of just changing game to game and it doesn’t help that we don’t have all of our guys. I’m obviously a big part of that. I was out for two months almost. It’s not easy for us and it definitely isn’t easy on our coaching staff because half the time they don’t even know who’s playing.”
Herro says “it's concerning” as Heat struggle against playoff teams
Another concerning trend after the matchup against Dallas was that it was another loss for Miami against a talented, playoff-caliber squad. Herro addressed it and was blunt in saying that it is “concerning a little bit,” but is also confident in expressing that they know what they have to do to “get us over that hump.”
“You know, it's concerning a little bit,” Herro said. “But, you know, we know what we have to do and what is going to get us over that hump of beating and ultimately winning those games that are important to us. And, you know, we'll collectively figure out how we can move the needle forward and hopefully make a run at this.”
Tyler Herro on if there’s concern that the Heat are struggling against top teams.
“It’s concerning a little bit, but we know what we have to do…” #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/bP2DFmbs84
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 11, 2024
Herro is looking to make a huge impact for the Heat in the post-season this year as he missed most of the aforementioned magical run due to a broken hand. So far this season, he is averaging 21 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 44.1 percent from the field in 40 games.
Erik Spoelstra touches on crucial aspect of Heat's success
If the Heat want to make it far in the games that matter the most besides Herro's explosiveness, their featured star in Jimmy Butler has to unlock his best self. He was mostly silent in the loss to Dallas as he only scored 12 points which Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra acknowledged after the game how “important it is to get Jimmy going.”
“We all understand how important it is to get Jimmy going. Our team understands it, Jimmy understands it, head coach understands it,” Spoelstra said. “Some nights like this you're just going to have to figure out a way to get it done and he'll muster up what he needs to do down the stretch, but we can never get it to that point.”
“I wasn't expecting this to be a 140-point game from us, it was going to have to be in the mud,” Spoelstra continued. “Somehow keep this thing back and forth through three-and-a-half quarters and then our guys would find a way to will it. But they jumped out on such an early lead in that first half, the rest of the game we just spent fighting back to get it closer. We got it to eight, then all of a sudden boom it was 13 before you blink.”
Erik Spoelstra talks about Jimmy Butler and the game changing tides.
“We all understand how important it is to get Jimmy going…” #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/lA9L3beOuH
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) April 11, 2024
Spoelstra doubles down his confidence on Miami
Heat fans must be feeling deja vu since they are in the exact same spot they were in last season where it is likely they will be watching their team compete in the play-in tourney. Last season, they got out of it and the rest was history, but asking for them to do it twice could be a one-way ticket to feeling disappointment.
However, Spoelstra reaffirmed to the media after Wednesday night's outing that they “have a great group” and “don't really care what's going on in the standings.”
“We have a great group. We have a very competitive locker room or guys want, we all want the same thing. And sometimes, this league can really humble you, that's what happened tonight,” Spoelstra said. “So we're going to regroup and try to do that several times this year. We keep on finding a way to bounce back and that's what we're going to do, we're going to focus on on the next 48 hours to get ready for another battle. I don't really care what's going on in the standings. I just want our team playing the way we're capable of playing, and that's what we're going to do this last two games.”
The Heat are 44-36 which puts them eighth in the tightly packed Eastern Conference as there are two games left. Both contests will be against the Toronto Raptors as it starts Friday night inside the Kaseya Center where the goal is still to win out and hope for the best in terms of playoff standings.
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