NBA Hall of Famer Paul Pierce fired a major shot at Miami Heat shooting guard Tyler Herro.
The Boston Celtics icon told Kevin Garnett that Caleb Martin is better than Herro and that Herro’s injury may have been a blessing in disguise for the Heat.
This take from Pierce didn’t age well at all. Even though Martin has played well in the 2023 playoffs, the forward had an awful Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets in the NBA Finals. Martin scored just three points while shooting 1-of-7 from the field as the Heat lost by 11 points.
Herro broke his right hand in the first round of the playoffs versus the Milwaukee Bucks and underwent surgery. The former Sixth Man of the Year was cleared to resume basketball activities a week ago, so he could play in Game 2 of the Finals, which is on Sunday, June 4. If Herro doesn’t play in Game 2, Game 3 will likely be his return night.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Tyler Herro & Miami Heat Updates
A Kentucky product, Herro is a superior scorer than Martin. Tyler averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Heat during the regular season while shooting 43.9% from the floor, 37.8% from beyond the arc and 93.4% from the free-throw line. He was third on the team in points per game, trailing only All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo.
Martin is averaging 13.5 points, 5.6 boards and 1.6 assists in the 2023 playoffs. The Heat are a better team when Martin and Herro are playing. They will need all hands on deck to upset the Nuggets, who have lost only three games in the 2023 postseason.
NBA NEWS & PLAYOFFS: Tyler Herro & Miami Heat Updates
“This is a great challenge,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said after Game 1. “It’s going to require more. We will get to work and see what we can do better, what we can do harder, what we can do with more effort, what we can do with more focus, etc.”
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