The Miami Heat will face Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals and all seems right. Especially when the word is that you think your rook can be better than an All-Star.
The Miami Heat are flying right now. As they finished their second-round series over the Milwaukee Bucks early, they have been in wait and see mode for a few days now.
With the Boston Celtics and the Toronto Raptors having to go to a Game Seven in order to determine a winner in that series, it not only gave the Miami Heat a good opportunity to watch their potential competition with a clear mind, but they have had the opportunity to rest and refresh.
With the Eastern Conference Finals series scheduled to tip-off on Tuesday, they will still get a few more days beyond that. While that is “a” story, it isn’t “the” story here today.
Today’s major focus revolves around a guy who has taken a step forward in these playoffs. We knew he was good, but a lot of people didn’t know that Tyler Herro was this good.
Stepping up to hit some of the biggest shots for the Miami Heat in the biggest moments of these playoffs, Herro has begun to catapult himself into pretty rare territory. As a rookie and in his first playoff run, his performances have begun to draw comparisons and even a notion of being able to be better than a current NBA All-Star.
A very offensively dynamic NBA All-Star. That player is also another bucket from Kentucky.
See for yourself though. Here is what WPLG‘s Clay Ferraro had to say on what he heard on a Zach Lowe podcast episode on the Miami Heat.
Dan on the Heat’s opinion of Tyler Herro: “They think he can be better than Devin Booker.” 😳
— Clay Ferraro (@ClayWPLG) September 10, 2020
(Again, well worth a listen). https://t.co/c2mI4balD4
Well, what high praise for a rookie. What a lofty set of expectations for someone with just one year of experience under his belt.
The Miami Heat think their dynamo of a rookie, Tyler Herro, can be better than Devin Booker. They aren’t wrong.
Here’s the thing though. They aren’t off or wrong.
When you look at their rookie season numbers, they are very comparable, with Herro having an edge in some areas. When you do the eye test, Herro comes out on top there too.
For starters, Booker is a much more potent offensive player at the moment, but what Herro has shown shows us that he has the ability to become that type of scorer or better, because of a more consistent shooting touch and other things we will briefly touch on here.
One of those other things is the fact that Herro seems to be a much better playmaker for others. He can operate an offense with the intent to destroy you as a scorer or as a facilitator. Although Book can pass a bit, he isn’t capable of what Tyler Herro looks to be capable of.
You also look at the ability to purely handle the rock, as that is important when creating for yourself or others. Herro has the rock on a string, like, he can do anything with it in his hands that you ever would want to see a guy do with it.
I can’t say that Devin Booker has that tight a handle with him. Lastly, defense.
Neither of them is elite or even good there, yet. The difference though and the reason for using “yet” there is this.
Herro tries his tail off now and in the Miami Heat’s system, with that effort, and with that desire to be great, he should at least become an above-average defender, if not a very good one or better.
He has the athleticism, the motor, the basketball know-how, the heart, and the seeming desire to become a good defender. None of that is something we can say or have ever said about Cook Book.
Again, Booker is an elite scorer already but Herro has his tools, plus a few others. That’s why it isn’t strange, erroneous, or far off at all to believe that one day… Tyler Herro will be better than Devin Booker.
And we can’t wait to see it!