Miami Heat could get key rotation player back for Friday’s game vs Trail Blazers
The Miami Heat have faced a challenging period marked by several injuries, but there was positive development from Thursday’s practice session. Tyler Herro was observed engaging in on-court activities post-practice, donning a black hoodie while taking static and moving shots under the guidance of a Heat staff member. Meanwhile, Kevin Love was absent from practice due to personal reasons, yet his potential participation in Friday’s home game against the Portland Trail Blazers hasn’t been ruled out.
This marked Herro’s first visible workout session since being sidelined with knee and foot injuries last month. Having missed 16 consecutive games and undergone a PRP injection in his right foot two weeks ago, his return to the court this week represents a significant step in his recovery process.
Coach Erik Spoelstra expressed optimism about Herro’s progress, noting that he’s advancing to the next phase of his comeback without specifying a timeline. Although still at least a week away from returning, Love might make a comeback as soon as Friday night’s game after being listed as questionable before Tuesday’s match against the Golden State Warriors. Despite this, he ultimately did not play and his status for the upcoming game will be decided closer to tip-off.
Spoelstra acknowledged Love’s remarkable progress and announced that his status will be upgraded, pending his condition on the day of the game. On the injury front, Jimmy Butler participated partially in practice due to illness, having missed Tuesday’s game for non-COVID-related reasons. His availability for Friday’s game remains uncertain. Duncan Robinson, although present with the team, did not engage in any workout activities during the media-accessible portion of practice and has been ruled out for Friday’s game.
