Miami Heat Use Big Second Half to Beat Houston Rockets, 109-89

Tyler Johnson’s Regular Season Debut

Tyler Johnson was good last season, and showed improvement in the preseason. He hustles. He defends. He dribbles. He shoots. He jumps high. He’s a good basketball player.

But he couldn’t get on the floor because Mario Chalmers and his $4.3 million salary was in his way on the depth chart. Well, Erik Spoelstra had to go to his bullpen tonight as he tried to find something that would work after a discombobulated first half. Enter Tyler Johnson.

Johnson responded by scoring 11 points on five-of-seven shooting, grabbing eight rebounds, helping with three assists and finishing with a plus-25 plus/minus. His hustle was huge, and energized the team and the fans at AmericanAirlines Arena in a big way in what ended up being a symbiotic relationship as the Heat wiped the floor with the Rockets.

I mean, he did things like this.

Spoelstra needs to find a way to get this guy consistent minutes. Seriously. What a find.

Next: 4th Quarter Bosh