The Miami Heat are losers of seven of their last eight games, and eight of their last 10 games, and their recent injury news isn’t going to help.
Tyler Herro, who has missed four consecutive games with a toe injury, is set to miss the Heat’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors on December 23.
In addition to Herro, Pelle Larsson and Nikola Jovic remain out.
Herro initially hurt his toe on December 3 in a 118-108 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. He missed the Heat’s next two games before returning against the Orlando Magic on December 9.
Herro took a Toradol shot to play against the Magic, but has not returned since that point.
Herro has had two MRIs since his initial toe injury. Both revealed that he has made no progress on his toe injury.
“It’s part of the process,” Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra told The Miami Herald. “He’s working diligently as well. And as soon as he can get back to feeling like he can move the way he wants to move, he’ll be back out there.”
Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro has Been Plagued by Injuries
GettyMiami Heat’s Tyler Herro’s season has been plagued by injuries.
The Miami Heat’s season has been derailed by injuries, and Tyler Herro might be the biggest example of that.
Herro has only played in six of the Heat’s 29 games this season. He missed the start of the season after surgery to repair his left ankle.
In his six appearances, Herro has been productive. He’s averaging 23.2 points per game, five rebounds per game and 2.3 assists per game.
Missing significant periods of time has been a theme throughout Herro’s career. In 2024, he played a career-high 77 games, but hadn’t reached 70 games in a season prior.
“It really hasn’t gotten better,” Herro told the Miami Herald on December 15. “I tried to warm up and I just wasn’t feeling right that night.”
Herro’s timeline for returning is still unknown as he works his way back to feeling comfortable moving on the court.
“I probably shouldn’t have practiced,” Herro said. “That kind of sparked things back up.”
The Miami Heat Have Struggled Without Tyler Herro
GettyThe Miami Heat have struggled to win when Tyler Herro doesn’t play.
As the Miami Heat have struggled in December, Tyler Herro has missed the majority of those games.
The Heat have only won a single game since Herro’s toe injury, with their scoring production dropping from the start of the season.
The Heat’s struggles without Herro’s production are not unique to this season.
Since 2021, the Heat are 62-55 (0.530) when Herro doesn’t play. When he suits up, the Heat are 173-139 (0.554).
Additionally, in two of the three seasons in which Herro has played in at least 60 games, the Heat have advanced to at least the Eastern Conference Finals.
To make up for the production lost when Herro doesn’t play, the Heat will continue to look to multiple players.
Bam Adebayo has performed as expected on the defensive side, but his scoring has been a struggle. He has finished with under 20 points in three consecutive games.
Norman Powell has been strong on the offensive end, averaging 24 points per game, but his production isn’t enough.
“We are developing a collective, competitive will, and these painful games eventually are going to be wins,” Erik Spoelstra told The Miami Herald.
Herro’s return is important for the Heat’s offense to return to early-season form.
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