Heat Coach Talks About Tyler Herro's Return From Injury

Tyler Herro has only played in 20 games for the Miami Heat this season. He’s been dealing with injuries and got a late start to the season. However, he has no played in nine straight games for the Heat and is starting to look a lot more like his former self. 

Herro’s numbers are still down this season. Last year, he averaged career highs in points (23.9) and assists (5.5) per game. This season, he is averaging 22.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. Missing such a large chunk of the season obviously has some ramifications, and Herro was slow to get back into his rhythm. However, over the Heat’s last 10 games, they are 8-2, and Herro’s play has been a big part of that. 

Heat’s coach Erik Spoelstra spoke about Herro’s path back into the lineup. 

“It’s definitely not easy. You see it all the time in this league — when you miss extended time, it’s tough. There’s nothing like game conditioning and game rhythm. But the way he works is about as close as you can get to that. Everything is a full-speed rep…I mentioned that about Kevin Durant last week — Tyler is similar in the way he works. He’s also letting the game come to him. I don’t feel like he’s pressing or trying to get everything back.”

While Spoelstra is admitting that Herro isn’t quite back to the player he was last season, he also likes Herro’s approach. Trying too hard or forcing things is a recipe for disaster. For a player returning from a significant injury, letting the game come to you upon returning is key. Herro is on the right path to getting back to where he left off last season.