Hiro’s return could be coming.
Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra talked about Tyler Hiro in an interview on Nov. 23.
The Conference Finals are three games into the series. To date, Miami has been the biggest story of the playoffs. Entering the playoffs as the No. 8 seed, the Heat defeated No. 1 seed Miami and No. 5 seed New York to reach the Conference Finals and took the first three games of the series against heavy favorites Boston.
What’s remarkable about Miami’s run is that they’re doing it while not at full strength. Miami lost second option Tyler Hiro and backcourt resource Victor Oladipo to injury during Game 1.
At the time, not many observers thought Miami would survive this long in the playoffs. Hiro, who broke the middle and ring fingers of his shooting hand, was diagnosed with a four- to six-week rehabilitation period, with many labeling him out for the season.
However, with Miami defying expectations to reach the Conference Finals and then crossing the quarterfinal ridge to the Finals, the possibility of a surprise return for Hiro has emerged. Game 1 of the NBA Finals is set for June 3, more than six weeks after Hiro’s initial injury.
Winning the NBA Finals is every player’s ultimate dream. What’s more, Hiro has been to the Finals before, as a rookie in 2020, but finished as the runner-up. This is a golden opportunity that doesn’t come around often, so he’s likely to be fired up to play.
“We’ll have a more detailed injury update tomorrow,” Spoelstra said. For now, Tyler Hiro is getting better and better, and that’s it. We still don’t have an exact timetable for his return.”먹튀검증
Hiro is Miami’s second option, averaging 20.1 points per game this season. He’s also a force in the paint, and when he’s at his best, he can take some of the pressure off ace Jimmy Butler.
However, he’s been out of the game for a long time, so it’s unclear how quickly he’ll be able to regain his touch on a big stage like the Finals. There’s also the matter of his weakness on defense.
“I think losing Tyler Hiro to injury might actually help Miami’s playoff chances,” said ESPN’s Zach Lowe, “They don’t have a player in the lineup right now who can be matchup hunted on defense. If Jimmy Butler’s importance to the offense is absolute, it’s not a stretch to say that Miami is better without Hiro.”