Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s 8:30 p.m. Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Boston Celtics at FTX Arena after missing Monday night’s Game 4 loss at TD Garden due to a groin strain.
Despite ESPN reporting Tuesday that Herro has the type of injury that typically requires an absence of two to four weeks, Herro was one of five players listed as questionable for Wednesday by the Heat, joined by P.J. Tucker (knee inflammation), Max Strus (hamstring strain), Gabe Vincent (hamstring strain) and Kyle Lowry (hamstring strain).
Those four all played in Monday’s Game 4, each struggling in the Heat’s 102-82 loss.
No longer on the Heat injury report is forward Jimmy Butler, who sat out the second half of the Heat’s Saturday night Game 3 victory at TD Garden due to knee soreness and then struggled to 3-of-14 shooting in Monday night’s Game 4 loss on the Celtics’ court.
“I’m straight. No excuse for how I played,” he said. “It don’t got nothing to do with my knee. I’ve just got to be better. I will be better. I’m not too worried about it.”
In addressing Herro’s absence, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said a goal was to get Herro to a better place for Game 5, with the best-of-seven series now tied 2-2.
The Heat did not practice Tuesday, and are bypassing a game-morning shootaround Wednesday, likely leaving the next Herro update for when Spoelstra addresses the media 105 minutes before the Game 5 tip.
The top concern on the Celtics’ injury report is guard Marcus Smart, who missed Game 4 with an ankle sprain suffered in Boston’s Game 3 loss Saturday night at TD Garden.
Smart is listed as questionable for Wednesday. He previously missed the Celtics’ Game 1 loss at FTX Arena with a midfoot sprain.
Monday’s game ended with Celtics point guard Derrick White, who started in place of Smart, seemingly grabbing at his hamstring.
“He said a little cramping,” Celtics coach Ime Udoka said. “So Derrick is fine.”
White was not on Tuesday’s injury report.
Then there is Celtics center Robert Williams III, who was impactful on both ends Monday after being sidelined by knee soreness Saturday, as well as for Game 1.
“It’s just swelling a little bit, stiffening up on me a little,” Williams said. “Taking it day by day, spending a lot of time with the trainers, obviously, throwing a lot of scenarios at it, see how it responds.”
Williams is listed as questionable.
The only other player on the Celtics’ injury report is guard Sam Houser, who has not played in the series as he rehabs a shoulder issue.
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