Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro was playing through a partially torn ligament in his left thumb earlier this season.
Herro missed time with the Heat this season because of a sprained left ankle, but he has toughed out the thumb injury this season.
“Heat guard Tyler Herro missed eight consecutive games in November because of a sprained left ankle,” the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang wrote. “But Friday will mark the 22nd game in a row he has played in despite sustaining a partially torn ligament in his left thumb a little more than a month ago in a game against the [Boston] Celtics in Boston. Herro has been playing with a wrap and padding on the thumb to protect it ever since and it hasn’t appeared to affect his play.”
It’s extremely impressive that Herro has been able to play through the injury, especially since he’s having another great season offensively for the Heat.
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year is averaging 21.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from beyond the arc. It’s extremely impressive that he has shot this well with the thumb injury.
“Herro said the injury is ‘healed now,’ but there were some questions whether he would be able to play through it right after it happened,” Chiang wrote.
The 22-year-old opened up a bit about the injury.
“I was able to play through it with the pad and the tape,” Herro said. “It hasn’t gotten worse, so that’s a good thing.”
The Heat are certainly glad that Herro’s injury hasn’t worsened, as they desperately need him in the rotation right now. Miami is dealing with injuries to rookie Nikola Jovic, sharpshooter Duncan Robinson and forward Caleb Martin.
Not only that, but Jimmy Butler has been in and out of the lineup all season as he deals with injury issues of his own.
That’s put a larger scoring load on Herro’s shoulders, and the former first-round pick out of the University of Kentucky has answered the call time and time again.
Over his last 11 games, Herro is averaging 23.9 points per game and shooting 41.2 percent from beyond the arc. In that stretch he has recorded 35 or more points twice.
The Heat have not gotten out to the start they would’ve liked this season due to injuries, but they have turned things around as of late.
Miami is now the No. 8 seed in the East with a 20-19 record heading into Friday’s matchup with the Phoenix Suns.
Herro has had a big role in that, and the Heat need him to carry the scoring load along with Butler and Bam Adebayo as the season progresses.
It may be worth monitoring Herro’s thumb as the season goes along for the Heat, but it appears that even when it was at its worst, he was able to play through it and be an effective player for Miami.
