Heat’s Tyler Herro set to make season debut vs. Mavs, but Norman Powell out with groin issue
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) dribbles a ball on the sidelines during the first half of an NBA preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks at Kaseya Center on October 6, 2025, in Miami.
dvarela@miamiherald.com
Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro is ready to make his season debut, but the Heat is now dealing with a new injury issue.
After missing the first 17 games of the regular season, Herro will play on Monday night against the Dallas Mavericks at Kaseya Center for the first time since undergoing surgery on his left ankle on Sept. 19.
However, Heat guard Norman Powell will miss Monday’s matchup against the Mavericks because of a strained left groin. An MRI on Powell’s injured groin conducted Monday morning revealed a “mild strain” and he’s day to day, according to the Heat.
Powell initially tweaked the groin early in Friday’s win over the Bulls in Chicago, briefly exiting the contest with what the Heat labeled as a left groin strain before returning to finish that game. He was then listed as probable for Sunday’s game in Philadelphia with what the Heat labeled as left hip irritation before playing and scoring a game-high 32 points in 29 minutes during the Heat’s victory over the 76ers.
Powell, 32, missed three games earlier this season because of a right groin strain.
But Herro’s return will provide a boost to a revamped Heat offense and help fill the void created by Powell’s absence. Miami enters the week averaging the most points (124.9 points per game) and playing at the fastest pace (106.4 possessions per 48 minutes) in the NBA this season.
Herro, 25 finished last regular season as the Heat’s leading scorer on the way to being selected for his first NBA All-Star Game. He averaged career highs in points (23.9 points per game) and assists (5.5 per game) while shooting a career-best 47.2 percent from the field last regular season.
Herro, who is in his seventh NBA season after being drafted by the Heat with the 13th overall pick in 2019, has developed into one of the most skilled scorers in franchise history. He’s already the Heat’s sixth all-time leading scorer in franchise history with 6,987 points and also ranks second in franchise history with 984 made three-pointers.
Without Herro, Powell has led the Heat in scoring (25.4 points per game) and usage rate (27.1 percent) this season. The Heat has posted an impressive 11-6 record while Herro has been out to begin this season.
Herro and Powell have yet to play together since Powell was acquired by the Heat in a trade this offseason in early July. Along with missing the first month of the regular season, Herro was held out of training camp and the preseason.
“Nothing, nothing” Herro said when asked earlier this month about what’ll need to adjust when he returns to this new-look Heat offense. “I think I’m going to be myself, play how I played last season, the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that. Yeah, I know how to play fast. I’ve played fast my entire life until I came to Miami. I adjusted to play with other players and I know how to play in this offense. That’s the beauty of me. I can play in any offense. That’s just it, that’s what I can do.”
Along with missing Powell, the Heat also remains without Vlad Goldin (G League), Nikola Jovic (right hip impingement), Terry Rozier (not with team) and Andrew Wiggins (left hip flexor strain) against the Mavericks on Monday. But Heat rookie Kasparas Jakucionis is back with the Heat after a week-long stint in the G League with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The struggling Mavericks, which enter Monday at 5-13 this season, will be without Anthony Davis (left calf strain), Dante Exum (right knee injury management), Kyrie Irving (left knee surgery) and Dereck Lively II (right foot injury management) against the Heat.
This story was originally published November 24, 2025 at 1:15 PM.
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Anthony Chiang
Miami Herald
Anthony Chiang covers the Miami Heat for the Miami Herald. He attended the University of Florida and was born and raised in Miami.
