The Miami Heat enter the first game of their second-round NBA Playoff matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers with a great chance before them.
Though you hate to have injury so heavily influence the results of things, dealing with and overcoming injury is a huge part of sports, as the Miami Heat have all year long. With that though, the Miami Heat will face off against a 76er team that will be without their best player, Joel Embiid, for, at least, the first two games of this series.
Though he could return by Game 3, he has to sit out for, at least, five days in the NBA’s concussion protocol. That’s, not to mention, learning to deal with the facial fracture again.
That means that it will be on James Harden and the rest of the crew, namely guys like Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, and Danny Green, to step up to try and help their team get a win. That’s the biggest question they have to answer when it comes to this series.
Can they even do that to the magnitude they’ll need to?
Miami Heat Playoffs: Tyler Herro Has To Feast On Short 76er Rotation
That remains to be seen, but based on how heavily involved they will all have to be due to what they are missing from a production standpoint, the nearly 31 points, 12 boards, four assists, a steal, and near two blocks per game that Embiid puts up, there is something that seems as clear as ever.
The Philadelphia 76ers will have to elongate their bench, as their rotation has been shortened from an available bodies perspective, but devastated from a production perspective.
What this means, in the grand scheme of things, is that more of the irregular dudes along that roster will have to play, perhaps. That also means that those same guys—will have to deal with Tyler Herro.
While everyone on an NBA roster is capable of having a great showing, as NBA players and even the 15th men on the rosters are in the top six percentile of the world at what they do, Tyler Herro would be in the top three percentile in the world at what he does, possibly higher.
Miami Heat Playoffs: After 6ers ‘Targeted’ Him During Regular Year, It’s His Turn
With good size, all the skills in the world, and a silky smooth jump shot, he managed to raise his level of play all the way to the ranks of a top 25 scorer (21) in the league this season. That’s what a Philly team that should be digging for options will encounter in this series.
When you combine these two pieces of knowledge, Herro’s productivity and the 76ers thinning depth, with the fact that Herro didn’t have his best showing in the first round, you might be on to something.
Though he would pick up near the end of the Hawks series, still en route to averaging just 12.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in the series, that should provide the stage for a Tyler Herro outburst in this second round.
The Miami Heat will need it too. Listen, they should be able to beat this Philly team anyway, especially without Embiid for a few games or at full strength, but you always want your best guys going good at the most crucial times.
Heck, even if it isn’t a total necessity for this series, they would want to see him get going for what’s to come beyond this series, hopefully, of course.
With that, Tyler Herro has to feast on a short 76er rotation. He just should.