MIAMI (AP) — All-Star guard Tyler Herro is ready to make his season debut, and the high-scoring Miami Heat are about to get their leading scorer from last season into the lineup.
The Heat listed Herro as questionable for Monday’s game against the Dallas Mavericks, which indicates that he’s on the cusp of returning. Miami officials are expected to update Herro’s status again closer to game time.
But Herro’s return does not mean Miami is 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 strained left groin and he won’t play against the Mavericks. Andrew Wiggins (strained left hip flexor) and Nikola Jovic (right hip impingement) also remain out for the game against Dallas, the Heat said.
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.
Miami enters Monday as the NBA’s top-scoring team, averaging 124.9 points per game.
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.