Despite undergoing big roster changes dating back to midway through last season, the Miami Heat have gotten off to a surprising 11-6 start this season. They entered Sunday in third place in the Eastern Conference, and their new up-tempo offense is paying dividends, as it has allowed them to rank third in fast-break points per game and first in scoring.
Their strong start is even more impressive when one considers they have been without star guard Tyler Herro, who underwent ankle surgery in late September.
Miami will be getting a big boost when it faces the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, as Herro plans to make his season debut in that game, per ESPN insider Shams Charania.
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Herro, the No. 13 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, has become one of Miami’s primary threats over the last several years. During the 2024-25 campaign, he attained new heights by averaging 23.9 points on 47.2% field-goal shooting and 5.5 assists a game, which earned him his first trip to the All-Star game. He also had three 40-point games last season after previously only having one such performance in prior seasons.
After Jimmy Butler, who had been the Heat’s best player and leader, was shipped off to the Golden State Warriors in February, Herro is now poised to take on a more prominent role as far as upholding the team’s renowned championship-caliber culture.
In his absence, newcomer Norman Powell, whom Miami acquired in the offseason from the Los Angeles Clippers, has stepped up by averaging 25.4 points a game so far this season. Powell is also one of the NBA’s best marksmen, as he’s shooting 46.4% from 3-point range.
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Miami defeated the Philadelphia 76ers 127-117 on Sunday, and Powell led the way with 32 points on 11-of-18 overall shooting and 4-of-7 from downtown. Off the bench, forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. contributed 22 points on 10-of-12 overall shooting, while guard Davion Mitchell dished off 12 assists and grabbed eight rebounds.
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