Miami Heat, NBA

In bubble, Tyler Herro becomes playoff hero (and joins Zion Williamson and Ja Morant as elite rookies)

In the bubble and in the NBA playoffs, Tyler Herro‘s stock has skyrocketed.

Think about this: After Game 5 of the NBA Finals, in which Herro scored 12 points and the 20 year rookie guard now holds the NBA record for the most consecutive games in the playoffs scoring in double digits.

That’s ten or more points in 20 straight playoff games, overtaking a rookie Alvan Adams who scored double-digits in 19 straight games with the Phoenix Suns during their 1976 playoff run.

The 20-year-old wasn’t even the best rookie on his team; coming off the bench during the regular season in favor of Kendrick Nunn. Since then Herro has been inserted into the starting lineup when Goran Dragic went down and Nunn joining Kelly Olynyk as players only getting playing time due to injuries.

In the bubble, Herro upped his regular season scoring average. He averaged 13.1 points in 46 games before the season paused, to 15.5 points in the nine games in the bubble; settling in at 13.5 for the season. In the playoffs, he’s been one of the players that has upped his reputation by several folds.

Tyler Herro's Growth in 2019-20
When Games PPG
Regular Season 46 13.1
The Bubble 9 15.5
NBA Playoffs 20 16.6

The handsome rookie hasn’t just played a key role for the Miami Heat’s success, but he’s now one of their top three active players and has averaged 16.6 points per game in the Heat’s 20 game playoff run.

All Rookie Second Team to Rookie Elite

As we mentioned above, Herro wasn’t even considered the best rookie on the Heat during the regular season. That went to Nunn, who joined Ja Morant and Zion Williamson on the all-rookie first team. Nunn was so impressive his first season that he actually had the second-most first place votes after Rookie of the Year Morant.

Herro was no slouch, as he made the second team; joining fellow promising rooks Terence Davis II, Coby White. PJ Washington, and Rui Hachimura,

Since then, the world has seen Herro improve, adapt and grow while in the bubble. His ability to not just shoot the ball, but play with space and covert at the basket has surprised and impressed.

The 6-5 shooting guard’s composure, confidence, tough shot making and efficient play making at the highest level of NBA competition hasn’t just set NBA playoff records, but has launched Herro into the elite class of rookies as the the third-most promising rookie of his class; leaping over teammate Nunn, Brandon Clarke, and Eric Paschall.

No matter what happens in these next two games of the NBA Finals, we dare say that Herro will go now into his second season with high expectations; expectations saved for that elite tier of rookie class of 2020. One that only includes Herro, Ja Morant, and Zion Williamson. Really, Tyler Herro is that promising.

And we’re excited to see it.

 

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