:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72327018/1494448832.0.jpg "Heat injury report: Key players to monitor ahead of 2023 NBA Finals vs. Nuggets")
After winning a seven-game thriller against the Boston Celtics, the No. 8 Miami Heat are officially headed to their seventh NBA Finals since 2006, which is most in the league during that span. The Heat will now take their white hot play to the Rocky Mountains to battle the Western Conference champions Denver Nuggets for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
Miami is the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to make the postseason's final round, and the first to do so after scratching and clawing their way through the play-in tournament. On the other side, Denver has been best in the West all season.
Let's take a look at the Heat injury report and how it may impact the 2023 NBA Finals.
Heat injury report
After suffering a broken shooting hand to open the first series in Milwaukee, Miami is still without Tyler Herro. He sustained the injury on April 16, and originally had some hope for a June return. Now that June is nearly here, reports suggest that Herro could be ready for Game 3 of the 2023 NBA Finals.
Outside of Herro, the Heat have already lost Victor Oladipo for the remainder of the year, requiring surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon. There is a chance that Oladipo also misses time to begin the 2023-24 regular season.
Bam Adebayo has been playing through a nagging hamstring, and Kyle Lowry has been laboring through a knee issue for majority of the season. Still, both have shown they are ready to answer the bell in this year's playoffs.
Before the Finals begin on Thursday, Miami is a +310 underdog to win the 2023 NBA championship at DraftKings Sportsbook-considering they have been dogs in every round of this year's postseason, that price is no shocker. For Game 1 in Denver, the Nuggets are favored by 8.5 points versus the Heat.