Miami Heat shooting study: Tyler Johnson

Tyler Johnson has gone from an undrafted guard out of a small school to one of the Miami Heat’s premier scorers.

This series will take a look at each Miami Heat player’s shooting abilities and preferences, and where they can improve.

Tyler Johnson has improved his scoring numbers by about three points per game every season to the point that he averaged 13.7 points per game last season. He’s made the most of his NBA opportunity by picking his spots and not making careless mistakes.

Johnson doesn’t turn the ball over, and he’s a crafty enough ball handler to work in between an opposing defense. Mostly, however, he’s just really freaking athletic.

As you can see from the following shot chart, Johnson prefers to get to the rim when he can–and there are few times he can’t. 36 percent of his shots came near the basket, and he converted on a credible 54.9 percent of them.

Johnson explodes with the ball. Give him a step, and he’ll find a way to score at the rim. Even if he isn’t flashy, he’s creative, and has the speed and strength to finish through contact.

Johnson is also a reliable 3-point shooter, having made 37.2 percent of his 3.4 attempts per game last season. Johnson has attempted more 3s every season. Expect that trend to continue in his fourth year, when the Heat will rely heavier on its perimeter shooting.

Where Johnson can improve is converting on his free throw attempts after he draws contact. A career 76.2 percent free throw shooter, Johnson got to the line 3.5 times per game last season. He leaves plenty of easy points at the stripe. If he doesn’t start to convert at a higher clip, opponents will start fouling him more often rather than let him finish at the rim.

He also doesn’t have much of a mid-range game. A Tony Parker-like floater could take opponents, otherwise expecting him to drive, off guard, and save him from some of the punishing contact at the rim.

Next: Reviewing Tyler Johnson's 'prove-it' season

Johnson finds a way to get better every season, and it’s exciting to think of how he’ll improve in his fourth year with the Heat.