MIAMI (AP) — Tyler Herro circled this game on his calendar a few weeks ago, even though he figured he might need some more time to recover from surgery.
He made a good choice.
Miami's All-Star guard made his season debut Monday night, scoring a team-high 24 points and getting the go-ahead basket late in a 106-102 Heat win over the Dallas Mavericks.
“I appreciate everyone — my coaches, my teammates, everyone who has allowed me to just come back into the
lineup and just try to help win another game," Herro said. “Just to be able to go out and compete with them was great tonight.”
He was 12 of 18 from the field in just over 29 minutes and grabbed seven rebounds. Herro missed the first 17 games of the season while recovering from surgery.
“I'm really excited for Tyler,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said before the game. “I know how much work he's been putting in.”
But Herro's return didn't mean Miami was at full strength. Norman Powell — the team's leading scorer this season at 25.4 points per game — had an MRI on Monday that confirmed he has a mildly strained left groin. He didn't play against the Mavericks. Powell is considered day to day, the Heat said.
Heat forwards Andrew Wiggins (strained left hip flexor) and Nikola Jovic (right hip impingement) also were out for the game against Dallas.
Herro underwent surgery in September to repair an issue affecting his left ankle and foot. He was the team's leading returning scorer coming into the season, then needed the procedure to alleviate posterior impingement syndrome in the ankle.
“I've still got a long way to go,” Herro said. “I still have to rehab and recover. I easily could have waited another two weeks to come back, but I'm healthy enough to be out there, and I want to be out there.”
Last season was the best of Herro's career, with him averaging 23.9 points — 3.1 points higher than his previous best — while also playing in a career-best 77 games and making the All-Star team for the first time. He also won the league’s 3-point contest at All-Star weekend.
“I'm happy for him, and happy that we can start this process with him in the mix,” Spoelstra said.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
