NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

June 12, 2023

Erik Spoelstra

Miami Heat

Game 5: Pregame

Q. I'm not sure if you know, but Tyler Herro was upgraded to questionable earlier today.

ERIK SPOELSTRA: (Eyes wide with surprise. Pulls phone out of pocket.)

Q. You might want to check your phone. Anything you'd like to tell us? Any markers that he has crossed over the past 24 hours?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: Yeah, he has done everything he needed to do. We appreciate all the work that he has put in. It's been a long, whatever, six, seven weeks of this. He is putting himself out there, available.

It's all hands on deck. We are going with our initial start, normal rotation, and we'll see how the game plays out. We have no idea how this game is going to play out, but it's great to have everybody available. Even Vic (Oladipo) is here with us. He is not going to play, but he is here just to pour everything into this team and this game tonight to make sure we get this thing back to Miami.

Q. What could Tyler give you if he is able to get out there and play, just skillset-wise and what can he add? Is there any worry about -- you guys have not had him during most of this run, and how he would affect the lineups and the way you guys have been playing?

ERIK SPOELSTRA: I don't know at this point. There's no guarantees about it. Obviously, these are unusual circumstances. I'm just going to read the game. He is going to be available. I'm not going to disrupt everything initially. It's not realistic for him to step into the role that he was doing before. But it sure is great just to have everybody here, all of those guys available, and having Vic now here. We just feel whole. We're focused on getting this game tonight.