Miami Heat Star Making His Way Into MVP Conversation

Shandel Richardson | 5 Hours Ago

Dec 16, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) dribbles while being defended by Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro is having the best season of his young career.

He's on pace to be an NBA All-Star for the first time. Some are also calling him the best player on the team, surpassing Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler. It has led to Herro getting love in the voting for MVP.

According to NBA.com, he is now No. 10 on the list of players most deserving of the most valuable player award.

Shandel Richardson

Herro and the Heat play tonight against the Oklahoma City Thunder. You can get more coverage on it at the Five Reasons Sports Network.

Here's the game preview:

Game time: 8 p.m., Kaseya Center, Miami

TV: FanDuel Sports Network

Betting line: Thunder -1.5

VITALS: The Heat and Thunder meet for the first of two regular season matchups. Last season, Oklahoma City won the series, 2-0, after Miami won the previous three season matchups, 6-0. The Heat are 30-42 all-time versus OKC during the regular season, including 16-20 in home games and 14-22 in road games.

PROJECTED STARTERS

HEAT

G Duncan Robinson

G Tyler Herro

C Bam Adebayo

F Jimmy Butler

F Haywood Highsmith

THUNDER

F Jalen Williams

F Luguentz Dort

C Isaiah Hartenstein

G Cason Wallace

G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

INJUY REPORT

HEAT

Pelle Larsson: Questionable - ankle

Nikola Jovic: Questionable - ankle

Josh Christopher: Out - G League

Keshad Johnson: Questionable - Two-way

Josh Richardson: Doubtful - Heel

THUNDER

Jalen Bridges: Out - G League

Ryan Dunn: Questionable - Ankle

Kevin Durant: Out - Ankle

Collin Gillespie: Out - Two-way

Jusuf Nurkic: Out: Thigh

Alex Ducas: Out - G League

Adam Flagler: Out - G League

Chet Holmgren: Out - Back

Dillon Jones: Out - G League

Nikola Topic: Out - Knee

ADVERTISING

Jaylin Williams: Out - Hamstring

QUOTABLE

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra on Sunday's first Coach Spo’s 5K, an event benefiting Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and the Miami Heat Charitable Fund: “This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a couple of years. It’s dear to our heart, the cause, our family. And the Miami Heat foundation has been tremendous with this.

“The staff and people that work at the Miami Children’s Hospital, they are angels, angels from above, and I can’t recommend it enough for people to go visit and just see what they’re about and see what kind of miracles are happening there. You can go there and just offer encouragement. Donations are awesome, as well.”

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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