The Miami Heat (31-25) are rarely in optimal condition during the NBA regular season. That is just a fact of life South Beach has come to accept over the last few years, which is much easier to do after two recent Finals appearances. The injury bug continues to feast on this squad in 2023-24, with Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier being the latest victims.
Both guards have been ruled out for Monday night's road showdown with the Sacramento Kings (33-23), according to the Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman. This news leaves an already-thin roster severely depleted for this trip to the Golden 1 Center.
Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic and Thomas Bryant are all suspended for their involvement in Friday's physical altercation with the New Orleans Pelicans and Josh Richardson is still recovering from a dislocated shoulder. There was hope that Herro and Rozier would suit up due to their initial questionable status, but they will need at least one more day to heal up from their respective knee injuries.
It is possible that head coach Erik Spoelstra deems it imprudent to play them without the buffer of Butler and the other Heat players. If they returned versus the Kings, they could feel inclined to carry a huge share of the offensive burden. Their absence likely means the Miami debut for Delon Wright, who signed with the team last week after being bought out by the Washington Wizards.
Terry Rozier, who is still getting acclimated to his new environment (35.9 percent shooting in 10 games), has missed the Heat's last three contests. Tyler Herro suffered a scary fall against the Pelicans but should be back in the lineup soon. He is averaging 20.8 points per game and is the team's second leading scorer behind Butler.
The 2023 Eastern Conference champions are on a strong run (won seven of last nine), so perhaps good vibes and muscle memory could be enough to pull off a huge upset in Sacramento.
Follow Us
Subscribe
