To say the Miami Heat have missed guard Tyler Herro is an understatement. Herro averaged 20.1 points per game during the regular season, but fractured his hand early in the playoffs.
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There was some hope as the Heat listed Herro as active for Monday's game, but Herro never saw the floor. Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said the decision not to play him was tough and it's one that will play in his head for some time.
"It's just a really tough call and I'll probably have to wrestle with that all summer," Spoelstra said after the Heat lost Game 5, 94-89, giving the Denver Nuggets the NBA title. "I've never been in an experience like this. I just know that the way this game was played is totally different than -- you can't even compare it. It's another sport in the regular season."
Spoelstra said the physicality during the five games of the Finals against Denver was extreme, and placing Herro out there for his first action since the first round was something he decided against.
"That's the hardest-played, most physical competition you can have, and that would be a tough thing for a guy that's been out for two months that hasn't had any kind of ramp up," said Spoelstra.
"But that won't save me from thinking about that for the next few weeks."