In their first game of the In-Season Tournament, the Miami Heat were able to snap their four-game losing streak and put up their best offensive outing of the season, as they defeated the Washington Wizards 121-114, improving to 2-4 on the year.
Although Miami did face a Washington team that ranks dead last in points per game allowed and defensive rating, it was refreshing to see the Heat offense fire on all cylinders. As a team, Miami shot 60% from the field and and 48% from behind the arc. The Heat’s incredible efficiency led to a season-high 121 points. Miami’s offense was spearheaded by another strong performance by Tyler Herro, who was determined to get a win tonight.
“We had a lot of time just preparing, trying to get this win tonight coming off a couple of losses in a row, this was a big game for us,” Herro said.
Herro finished with a near triple-double and led the team in points, rebounds, and assists with 24 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
From the start of the game, Herro was actively finding his teammates as he had an array of assists off the screen and roll and was also able to find cutters diving to the rim. Herro’s contributions as a playmaker were a key factor in Miami having a season-high 35 assists.
Going into the season, Heat President Pat Riley stated that the team needs a “25-point per game scorer,” and while it is only five games in, Herro is showing he can be capable of putting up a high scoring average. He is currently averaging 26.2 points per game.
“He’s getting used to all the different coverages that the great players receive, the switches, the aggressive coverages, the drop zones and then the blitzes tonight,” Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoesltra said.
Herro has been fantastic this season, and it was only right that he was rewarded with a win after a big performance as his previous scoring outbursts at Boston and Milwaukee resulted in losses.
Miami’s offense has been rough for the most part, as another dry spell allowed a 15-0 run by Washington in the fourth quarter. But one positive so far has been Herro playing at an All-Star caliber level. The next step for Herro and the Heat now is to have these performances lead to more victories as the season continues.
Miami Heat look rejuvenated in victory vs Wizards
The Miami Heat had a rough 1-4 start to the 2023-24 NBA season, but had a solid team win against the Washington Wizards on Friday night.