DENVER — Tyler Herro has been along for the playoff ride since his personal playoff ride ended. The next stage of the ride for the fourth-year Miami Heat guard could be back in uniform, on the court against the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals.
Although he could not guarantee the exact timing for a return from the broken right hand sustained in the first half of the Heat’s playoff opener last month, Herro indicated that is the plan at some point during the best-of-seven series that opens Thursday at 8:30 p.m. at Ball Arena.
“I’m going to be working out every day, twice, two or three times a day, from here until the day I hopefully come back,” he said. “So I’m just going to continue to work hard and see how my body responds day by day and I’m trying to come back as soon as possible.”
Injured on April 16 against the Milwaukee Bucks while diving for a loose ball, Herro underwent surgery later that week, given a six-week timetable to a return to basketball activity. He already has surpassed that expectation, including a rigorous workout Monday morning ahead of Monday night’s 103-84 victory over the Boston Celtics at TD Garden in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.
Two days after his injury, Herro spoke of a goal of returning for the NBA Finals, a notion that came off as hubris considering the Heat held a 1-0 lead against the top seed in the playoffs at the time.
Now, an NBA Finals comeback not only is a possibility, but the stage is set with a Heat schedule that will run into June.
“After we won in Milwaukee,” he said of closing out that series 4-1 on April 26, “I had a feeling we’d be going back to the Finals. It’s been a hell of a ride so far, just to be on the sideline. I’ve been on every road trip, been a part of everything this far.
“Just being here with the team has been awesome, just to see the guys rally around each other. And it’s been good. I’m excited to have the opportunity to possibly play again this season.”
With the intent to do so, poised to begin the next phase of a career that includes the start of a four-year, $130 million extension next season.
“There’s a little soreness in my hand, still,” he said. “But it’s all just post-surgery scar tissue and stuff like that I’m trying to work through right now, and I would love to come back for the Finals and we’ll see how my hand feels.”
Having been named NBA Sixth Man of the Year last year, Herro started in each of his 67 regular-season appearances this season, closing the regular season averaging 20.1 points. He then led Heat starters with 26 points in their play-in round opening loss to the Atlanta Hawks before being limited to 12 points in the Heat’s all-or-nothing play-in victory over the Chicago Bulls. He had scored 12 points in his 19:28 before being sidelined in that Game 1 victory over his hometown Bucks in the first round.
Without Herro, the Heat installed Max Strus as a mainstay in the starting lineup, which has offered an upgrade in 3-point spacing and defensive toughness, while also allowing teammates such as Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, Gabe Vincent and, now, Caleb Martin, to account for a greater share of the offense.
Based on the approach that coach Erik Spoelstra took with Kyle Lowry after the veteran point guard missed six weeks at midseason due to knee soreness, the expectation is that a Herro return would come off the bench.
The spacing of games in the NBA Finals also could work in Herro’s favor, with a two-day break before Sunday’s Game 2 in Denver, and then another two-day break before Game 3 in Miami. By missing the first two games of the best-of-seven series, it would give Herro another week of build up.
“We’ll see what happens. I don’t know,” he said. “My hand feels good. We’ll see what happens. I’m feeling good.”
Just to see Herro with the opportunity for a return is heartening to teammates.
“It’s great, man,” Vincent said. “Obviously, Tyler was a huge part of our team and he still is whether he’s on the court or off the court. Just being a voice and being there, so it’s been great having him around.
“It’s great to see him put in work and it’s good to see his progress.”