Getty Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat drives to the basket against Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter in Game One of the 2022 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Finals
Last year, Tyler Herro had an impressive campaign during the 2021-22 NBA regular season for the Miami Heat. He averaged 20.7 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists per game. His season was so good he was honored by the NBA with the Sixth Man of the Year award winner. With his strong play, he believed that he was deserving of an NBA All-Star bid, however, he wasn’t named to be an All-Star. While Herro’s play was impressive last season, in the postseason, the Heat guard definitely underachieved. He himself has already noted that he didn’t play well and why he believes he struggled in the Heat’s playoff run.
“I had my groin injury. That was one thing, but that happened later in the playoffs. I still wasn’t playing well at the beginning of the playoffs. I think part of it had to do with finding out I’m having another kid. That was a lot mentally. It was just the timing of it, but it is what it is, and I’m back ready to hoop, and obviously, the playoffs didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but it’s another year and another crack at it,” Herro said on an episode of the ‘Tobin and Leroy show.’
Tyler Herro on Postseason Play
In a recent conversation with Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Herro talked about the postseason and acknowledged that if he had played better that the Heat could have been competing for their fourth NBA title.
“It was tough the way it ended,” Herro, said to the Miami Herald. “I felt like if I was at the level of play I was all season last year, I think we might have a fourth championship. That motivated me.”
Despite his poor postseason play, the Heat still rewarded Herro’s strong season with a 4-year $130 million extension to remain in Miami. Herro, who was involved in trade rumors all summer long, is now not eligible to be traded until next season for Miami. Now he can focus on playing strong for the Heat without worrying about the looming extension in the back of his head. He also told Chiang where his game changed, that affected his stats so drastically this postseason.
“I think I was picking up my dribble a lot in the playoffs,” said Herro, who averaged just 12.6 points while shooting 40.9 percent from the field and 22.9 percent from three-point range last postseason. “When guys were doubling, I would pick it up. I wasn’t as aggressive as I was throughout the season. I think you saw that, which affected my play and a little bit with the team too. If I was healthy and playing at the level I was playing at all year, I think we had a really good chance.”
Herro on Next Season for the Heat
When it comes to what the Heat can expect from Herro next season, he also shared that in his conversation with Chiang.
“I just continue to get better all around,” Herro said as he enters his fourth NBA season. “I’m more experienced, more efficient, stronger, faster, can shoot from longer distances. My handle is tighter. I work really hard, so every summer, I’m going to get better.”