NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

May 27, 2022

Erik Spoelstra

Miami Heat

Game 6: Pregame

Q. Tyler Herro?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: He is not playing tonight.

Q. The conversation you had with the trainers and Tyler, how is it different in a game like this where you are facing elimination, keeping that in mind but trying to be responsible at the same time?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, these are not easy conversations or decisions. He's definitely made progress, but he's not quite ready, you know, to step into this kind of intensity of a game.

Q. Derrick White has done some damage against you guys in the short roll. What is the challenge of a guard screening and rolling? How do you try to counteract doing that?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, you just have to have ultra-awareness on the weak side. It's almost like you have to visualize that he's a 7-footer. You would never allow a 7-footer just to go untouched through the lane. So it's just a different dynamic.

We've been able to manage that before. Most teams eventually do get to that against us, particularly in the Playoffs. We just have to be better with it.

Q. I don't want to use a word like 'just', like it's just a strain, at all to minimize what Tyler is going through. There's been reports if it were the regular season, he would be out a month. Can you talk about how hurt he is?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: No. I think it's irrelevant to get into all the details. He's not able to play tonight, you know. As badly as he wants to get out there, you know, this is the most responsible decision for us.

Thank you.