The Miami Heat will be on a mission this season. After being swept out of the first round a season ago, there are many that believed their finals run two seasons ago was a fluke. It is also understandable that some players didn’t live up to their expectations a season ago. One of those guys is Tyler Herro, who had an amazing rookie season. After a subpar sophomore campaign, Herro has approached the 2021-22 season with a different pedigree. As many saw through the preseason, there are high expectations of the third-year player.
It was a rough season for the Heat last year, to say the least. With so many lineup rotations due to COVID protocols, the team never found a rhythm until later in the season. Even as they gained momentum, it didn’t matter as the Milwaukee Bucks took care of them. Last season, the Heat were one of the lower teams when it came to scoring and look to make this season a different story.
Is Herro for Real?
Tyler Herro Last Season
The Tyler Herro of last season certainly wasn’t the same compared to the NBA bubble. After averaging 16 points on 37 percent three-point shooting during the 2020 playoffs, Herro averaged 15.1 points on 44 percent shooting. It just wasn’t the same energy that was matched the year prior. Many can blame a multitude of reasons why Herro didn’t play well, but it’s obvious his confidence wasn’t the same compared to his rookie campaign. Due to the poor season Miami had, Herro’s value seemed to drop. Coming into this season, he looks to prove everyone wrong about him being a fluke.
Through preseason action, Herro certainly approached the matchup with a bounce to his step. Herro was terrific at making shots off the dribble and creating opportunities for himself and others. Of course, we shouldn’t get too carried away with preseason but it’s a good start. As Herro has continued to gain his confidence, he considers himself in the same conversation as Trae Young, Ja Morant, and others. To name two players who have superstar potential, that adds a lot of pressure on Herro to deliver in a huge way.
Can he Sustain This Level of Play?
While Herro is averaging 28.5 points in Miami’s first two games, the question is can he sustain such strong play? With Miami coming into this season with so much firepower, will head coach Erik Spoelstra make sure to utilize him as a number one option in different lineups? Coming off the bench for Miami is a perfect fit for Herro. He’s able to dictate everything on the floor for the second unit and lead the charge. Also down the stretch in the fourth quarter, Herro can still be impactful with coach Spolestra’s lineup as well. His energy as a scorer and leader can dictate how the outcome will be with games for Miami.
In conclusion, this season is going to be big for Tyler Herro and the Miami Heat. Even with the additions of Kyle Lowry and PJ Tucker, the Heat are still a non-favorite in the East. Herro will need to continue to produce at a high level to continue to gain respect across the league. With the confidence his teammates and coaching staff have in him, it is possible for Herro to have a breakout season.
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