Ahead of Game 5 of the NBA Finals, Heat fans got some good news when Tyler Herro was officially ruled active.
However, it didn't pan out as they hoped.
Herro had missed nearly the entire postseason after suffering a fractured hand in Game 1 against the Bucks all the way back on April 16. He underwent surgery on April 21 and was ruled out for a minimum of six weeks.
When he underwent the procedure, it looked as though his season was over. Virtually nobody thought the 8-seeded Heat would make it past the Bucks and out of the first round, much less make a run to the NBA Finals. But that's exactly what happened, as Miami upset Milwaukee, New York and Boston en route to basketball's biggest stage.
But despite receiving medical clearance before the game, Herro never made it onto the floor on Monday night as his team lost 94-89 to fall short of a championship.
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Why didn't Tyler Herro play vs. Nuggets?Even though he was cleared to play, it's obvious Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra didn't feel comfortable relying on Herro in a do-or-die situation.
Returning from Herro's injury — broken third and fourth metacarpals on his shooting hand — is no easy task. Even if he was able to play, inserting him into the lineup after nearly two months on the sidelines would have been a risky move for Spoelstra.
Herro was one of Miami's biggest offensive contributors this season, averaging 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. However, there is no doubt he would have had to shake off some rust, and an elimination game in the NBA Finals is no time to do that.
The Heat ultimately had a poor night offensively, shooting just 34.4 percent from the field and 25.7 percent from beyond the arc. It translated to an ugly loss with their season on the line.
Could Herro have played a part in Game 5? It's impossible to say. But Miami fans will certainly be wishing he had been healthy in the Finals as the team fell just short of a title.
