CAMDEN, N.J. — As the Philadelphia 76ers prepare for their play-in game with the Miami Heat, the main factors the Sixers need to prepare for are obvious.
The big ones are Miami stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo. Then there’s the zone defense the Heat will throw at the Sixers to disrupt any offensive rhythm Philadelphia comes up with.
However, there is also the Tyler Herro factor. Miami relies a great deal on Herro to create offense. His return to the lineup has given the Heat a boost on the offensive end. The Sixers will have to prepare for him in this contest.
“He’s certainly a guy that they go to to create offense, and there’s certain lineups and stuff in the past that they’ve used him as their primary scorer and he’s also got a good little two-man kind of thing with Bam going,” said coach Nick Nurse at practice on Tuesday. “So again, it’s like, there’s certainly thoughts about what schemes we’re going to use depending on who’s in, who we’re going to put matched up on him, and again, just kinda got to gauge it from what you kind of think what they’re trying to get accomplished?”
Herro was limited to 42 games during the regular season, but he averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.5 assists while shooting 39.6% from deep for the Heat in those games. When he’s on the floor, he offers another aspect Miami can use.
On top of the physical tools for Herro, there is also the mental factor. He’s going to be hungry to make an impact for the Heat. Herro suffered an unfortunate hand injury in Game 1 of the first-round series in 2023 and missed the rest of the playoff run for the Heat that ended in the finals.
“I believe he’ll be aggressive,” Nurse added. “I believe he’ll be — he’s healthy, super fresh. I think he’s hungry. He didn’t play last playoffs, all those kinds of things. So I think we better be ready for a good version of him. An aggressive version of him.”
It sounds like Nurse and the Sixers are having everything covered as they prepare for this important matchup. While Butler and Adebayo are Maimi’s main stars, one cannot forget what Herro brings to the table for the Heat. It appears Philadelphia hasn’t.
[lawrence-related id=93781,93778,93775]