Is Tyler Herro playing tonight? Latest injury update for Heat vs. Nuggets, Game 3

(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Will Tyler Herro play in Game 3 of the NBA finals and would his potential return mean for the Miami Heat offense going forward? 

As the Miami Heat head into Game 3 of the NBA Finals, they could be getting back a key player that they have missed essentially all postseason. Tyler Herro hasn’t played since breaking his hand in Game 1 of the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks but could be back on the floor.

At the time, it was expected that he would not play at all during the playoffs as his return date was the Finals. Miami deserves all the credit in the world for making it to this point because no one but themselves expected them to.

The Heat go into Game 3 after making the adjustments needed to win Game 2. With the series tied at 1-1, Herro will almost certainly be able to play at some point, even if it’s not in Game 3. As of this writing, Herro is still listed as out for Game 3 but that could change as we get closer to game time.

What would a healthy Tyler Herro do for the Miami Heat?

Coming out of Game 1, it seemed like the Nuggets were destined for a sweep of the Heat. But in Game 2, they shot an unnatural 50+ percent from 3, made some key defensive adjustments and got a huge performance from Bam Adebayo.

Still, the Heat could use Herro’s offensive creation in order to counter small struggles from three or the Nuggets’ offense getting hot. Obviously, Herro playing this game would be hitting the target established by the Heat before the series, when they said they were hoping for his return in Game 2. But even if he’s on the court a heavy minute restriction seems likely.

As reported by Ros Gold-Onwude, Herro is feeling “soreness and swelling” in his right hand after Game 2. That may prevent his return or limit him further but even having him for 10 minutes could make a huge difference for the Heat.

Next. Every NBA team's all-time starting lineup. dark

Check out The Step Back for more news, analysis, opinion and unique basketball coverage. Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our daily email newsletter, The Whiteboard.