Following a narrow 111-108 loss to the Charlotte Hornets last Tuesday, the Miami Heat were scheduled to play their preseason home opener on Thursday against the Atlanta Hawks. However, the game was postponed due to Hurricane Milton’s passage through Florida. This unexpected break turned into a positive for head coach Erik Spoelstra, as it gave two key players extra time to recover from their injuries and boost the team for the NBA season, along with stars like Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. missed the preseason opener against the Hornets due to physical issues and were slated to sit out against the Hawks as well. However, both are now expected to return for Sunday’s matchup vs. the Pelicans at the Kaseya Center.
Herro and Jaquez Jr. were able to take part in Friday’s practice and Spoelstra expressed optimism about their availability. “The extra days helped,” the coach noted, adding, ”They’ve been working quite a bit behind the scenes. So I wasn’t surprised they were able to do some work today.”
Injury updates on Herro and Jaquez Jr.
Tyler Herro has been dealing with a right groin issue, though he downplayed its severity during media day. “Ran a lot and I was sore, so I needed a couple of days. I’m back,” Herro said. When asked if he would be available for Sunday’s game, he confidently responded, “Yeah, I should be. We’ll see what happens.”
Jaime Jaquez Jr. has been recovering from a left groin strain. “I had felt some tightness in my groin, and I let the training staff know…they decided to just hold me out for a little bit just to not make it any worse than it already was,” Jaquez explained. “Just trusting in everything they need to get me back on the court and I’m feeling great right now.”
The Heat’s depth heading into the season
Erik Spoelstra clearly values Herro and Jaquez Jr., seeing them as crucial components of the team’s success despite their relative youth. Their return will strengthen the Heat’s roster, providing much-needed support to established stars like Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Terry Rozier. With Herro and Jaquez Jr. back in the mix, the Heat will be able to field a more competitive and balanced team as they look to build momentum in the early part of the NBA season.