Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat can breathe a sigh of relief as they won't be facing Joel Embiid when the Philadelphia 76ers come to town on Monday.
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Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat can breathe a sigh of relief as they won’t be facing Joel Embiid when the Philadelphia 76ers come to town on Monday. The 76ers officially ruled Embiid out for the highly anticipated Christmas Day matchup on Sunday. The reigning league MVP suffered a right ankle sprain during the first quarter of their 121-111 triumph over the Toronto Raptors on Friday, forcing him to sit out the upcoming game.
Despite the injury, Embiid powered through to produce yet another commanding performance against Toronto, tallying 31 points and 10 rebounds. Impressively, he extended his streak of recording 30-point, 10-rebound games to 13, marking the longest such streak in the NBA since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s 16-game run during the 1971-72 season.
The absence of Embiid will be felt by the 76ers, given his remarkable season averages of a league-leading 35.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 2.0 blocks per game. Embiid’s teammates find it challenging to capture his excellence in words, as he has consistently scored at least 30 points in an impressive streak spanning 14 consecutive games.
For the heat, Smith will not be playing the game due to a knee injury. Besides, Butler (calf injury), Highsmith (illness), Lowry (leg injury), and Richardson (back injury) might not be available for the game.
As for the 76ers, Bamba (illness), Batum (hamstring injury), and Embiid (ankle injury) will be sitting this one out. Besides, Beverly (heel injury) and Melton (thigh injury) might also not play the game.
Nevertheless, the Heat must continue their trend of sharpshooting against Philadelphia, a team that has emerged victorious in eight of its last nine contests — and Tyler Herro is poised to play a crucial role in that effort. Herro seems to have seamlessly regained his midseason form after sitting out 18 games due to a sprained right ankle. In his initial three games back, the fifth-year professional has been averaging an impressive 27.7 points per game, shooting at a 55.4 percent accuracy rate. Notably, he has maintained a 50 percent success rate from beyond the arc, connecting on 12 of 24 attempts.
In the absence of star player Jimmy Butler, Miami has clinched victory in its last two games. Butler is currently listed as questionable for Monday’s match due to a strained left calf.
Surprisingly, Butler’s non-participation hasn’t disrupted Miami’s playing style. The Heat maintain their status as the league’s leading 3-point shooting team, boasting an impressive 39.6 percent accuracy. This success is fueled by the sharpshooting prowess of players like Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson.
In a 122-113 triumph over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Tyler Herro showcased his scoring prowess by putting up 30 points, while Duncan Robinson contributed significantly with 21 of his 27 points coming in the fourth quarter. The Heat collectively demonstrated their proficiency from long range, connecting on 17 of 39 attempts beyond the arc, achieving a 43.6 percent success rate in the victory.
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