Three observations from the Miami Heat’s 98-94 road win over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night.
1. Tyler Herro, rejecting screens
It wasn’t the most efficient shooting night for Tyler Herro, but he made some of the biggest shots of the game down the stretch as the Heat held off the Hornets’ comeback.
After his hot start to the season, the scouting report on Herro is out. Fearing his ability to pull up from 3, opponents have defended him more aggressively beyond the arc. Defenders have to jump out on him and go over screens.
Recognizing this, Herro is finding new ways to generate space. One of those is by rejecting the screen. Rather than going all the way around a screen, Herro will often pull the ball back and reverse course to lose an over-committed defender.
This is how Herro got an open look on the biggest shot of the game. After losing a 20-point lead, the Heat were down two with under 40 seconds to go. Coach Erik Spoelstra dialed up a play for Herro. Bam Adebayo set the screen, pitched it back and let Herro go to work. Brandon Miller jumps out to get over Adebayo’s screen, Herro gets the ball, pulls it back and steps into the go-ahead shot.
2. Handoffs are so back
Adebayo had 10 of Miami’s 21 assists. Six of them, including Herro’s game-winner, came off handoffs, or some variation (like a pitch back).
The Heat blew up defenses during their run to the 2020 Finals with the dribble handoff, but dialed it back after opponents got wise.
Well, they’re back. After moving away from the action last season, the Heat are averaging 6.2 dribble handoffs per game this season, the most since the 2022-23 season. They’re scoring 0.97 points per handoff, according to Synergy, the most since 2021.
3. Split cuts are a big deal
If Bam isn’t finding a shooter on a handoff, he’s finding them on a split cut. Rather than have Duncan Robinson or Herro go over a Bam screen and get the ball, they will screen for each other to force the defense into a tough decision.
Both Robinson and Herro are feared shooters. Defenses can’t go under screens involving them. Switch, and both have fast enough releases to get a shot off in the switch pocket. That opens up cuts behind the defense.
With Butler limited with a back injury that sidelined him in the fourth quarter, the Heat tilted the offense toward this three-man game. They did the same thing when Butler missed four games with an ankle injury. When Butler is out, the Heat know they dial up this three-man game as the foundation of the offense.