It is always remarkable when a player can improve their game, and take a step to the next level. It is even more remarkable when a player does this six years into his career, when most are convinced that his game is a somewhat finished product. This season, Tyler Herro has taken a step to the next level and is showing that he is an incredible offensive player. Herro is the leading scorer in Miami and although the Miami Heat have been underwhelming as a whole this season, Herro’s play is a bright spot in an otherwise grim situation.
After being plagued with various knee and foot injuries last season, Herro was limited to just 42 games. This season his health has been much better and he has seen notable jumps in his points per game average and his overall efficiency in various areas of the floor. This season, Herro is averaging 24.1 points per game, while shooting 41 percent from three on 10.1 attempts per game, and 62 percent true shooting, all of which are career highs. The most notable change in his game has been an increase in three-point shot attempts from 7.9 last season to 10.1 this season, while actually raising his percentage from 39 percent to 41 percent.
Herro’s scoring is what makes Miami’s offense churn, and his lethal pull-up shooting keeps defenses in a constant state of disarray. Herro is shooting an outstanding 59.1 percent on pull-up two pointers, and 41.4 percent on pull-up threes. Pull-up shooting is extremely valuable in the NBA, and Herro, often the recipient of a pin down screen or a Bam Adebayo dribble handoff can torch defenses with movement threes.
Run Herro off the line and he can counter it by getting into the lane and dropping in his patented floater, or tossing a lob to whomever is lurking around the dunker’s spot. Herro has been a great shooter since the day he entered the NBA, but this season considering volume, he has tapped into the next stage of elite shooting. Herro has also been an efficient scorer in the paint, another layer that he has in his scoring package this year. Herro is shooting 61.8 percent in the restricted area, and as previously mentioned, defenders having to stick close to him because of his elite outside shooting empowers him to have lanes to the rim.
Herro has also been a great off ball mover this season, and he really understands how to use his shooting gravity to get defenders to react and move in ways that are advantageous to him. Herro rejects screens, fakes cuts, uses pump fakes, all in an effort to free himself up for the best available shot.
Here, Herro sprints from the corner to receive a handoff from Adebayo, and because of his reputation as a great shooter, Jaden Ivey goes over the screen in an attempt to blow the play up. Herro spins away as he rejects the screen which sends Ivey flying the other way. This frees Herro up for the triple as Jalen Duren is in drop coverage in an effort to cover Adebayo and Herro at once. Herro is such a smart mover both with and without the ball, and he smartly uses Ivey’s momentum against him to generate a clean look.
Here, Herro shows his great change of direction as he fakes a cut toward the wing, which shifts his defender that way and gives him the separation to dart to the corner and at this point the play is already over. His defender tries to catch up and with a simple pump fake is sent flying, as Herro knocks down the triple. Another example of Herro’s movement skills.
Miami runs a guard-guard screening action here and this forces Micic to switch and pressure Herro. Herro then turns the corner on Micic and with them going downhill full speed, Herro just pulls it back and knocks down the mid range jumper. Herro has many counters built into his game, which makes his scoring all the more potent.
You can see the automatic dilemma that defenders have when they have to guard Herro in any sort of screening action. If you drop then he can burn you with a pull-up jumper, if you hedge the screen, he can confidently hit the roller, and if you switch then he can turn the corner and get downhill for a floater or a lob.
Herro has spent most of his career in endless trade rumors and under much scrutiny. He had been criticized frequently for not offering much more than barely efficient scoring, and not much else and this season he has done tremendous work in silencing those critiques. Setting career highs thus far in multiple scoring categories, he is showing that he is an offensive force who provides enormous value to the Miami Heat. Herro is also putting together a serious bid for his first All-Star berth. Overall this is a wildly successful season for Herro and his play will be a prominent factor in Miami’s success.
