Welcome to the Basketball Hangover. We are in the conference finals!
Tyler Herro poured in a surprising 37 points as the Heat take a 3-1 series lead.
(PHOTO CREDIT: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.)
We always felt Tyler Herro‘s presence. This time around, it became an overwhelming presence.
Herro had scored double digits in every playoff game thus far. But we always noticed him because of his poise and ability to make big plays. He played far beyond his age and experience.
In the first half of Game 3, he was catching fire and keeping Miami afloat. He would end up with 22 points as all of us tried to think of all Herro song title puns.
In Game 4, the basketball was his.
He stood out in a first half that was nearly unwatchable. Tyler scored 15 points for the Heat. Miami would lead by 10 in the third but the Celtics are a good team; they came back.
Of course, Herro would snuff the rally for a bit with a three. It became a duel between Herro and Jayson Tatum, who scored all 28 of his points in the second half.
Tyler started the fourth with a three-pointer. Then Tatum and Herro exchanged baskets. After the Celtics took the lead, a putback by Bam Adebayo gave the lead back to Miami. Tyler Herro would then dazzle with a three-pointer and a reverse lay-up. Another three by Herro actually made Mike Breen say BANG.
Boston creeped closer but a three by Goran Dragic and another Herro lay-up brought the lead back to 9. The Celtics cut it to three with back-to-back downtown shots but the Heat made the necessary free throws to keep the lead and preserve the win.
Tyler Herro scored 37 points, the most points in a playoff game by a 20-year-old since one Magic Johnson. This guy was the main reason why the Heat are now… one win away from the Finals.
That’s even crazy to say right now. A young team that was joined by the “volatile” Jimmy Butler and barely came together this year are extremely close to a Finals berth. It’s a testament to the coaching staff that believed in them, developed them extremely well, and helped them gel on the court. And of course, it’s a testament to the players’ work ethic.
The job’s not done yet, obviously. But it’s hard not to marvel at the job that has alraedy been done by the Miami Heat.
The term Heat Culture is easy to joke about. But Heat Culture has shown over the years that it’s NOT a joke.
Bullet Passes
Again, Tatum scored 28 points in the second half alone. He was fantastic in those last 24 minutes. Too bad, he was overshadowed.
The Heat had four players score more than 20. Butler had 24, Dragic had 22, and Bam ended with 20. But once again…
Herro broke Dwayne Wade‘s Heat record for most points scored by a rookie in a playoff game; Wade scored 27 in a 2004 game. As mentioned, Herro went for 37 points. He put in 17 in the fourth.
We’ve already seen TWO 3-1 comebacks from the Denver Nuggets. Boston is capable of winning three straight, too, but no team wants to be under this pile of adversity.
NBA Playoff Scoreboard
Game 4: #3 BOS 109 vs #5 MIA 112 (MIA leads series, 3-1)
Watch This Play
Bam catches the Dragon lob with one hand.
💥 ONE-HANDED BAM SLAM ALERT 💥 pic.twitter.com/h85mLbwSdQ
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 24, 2020
Back to the Western Conference we go.
We’re so sorry that justice has still not been served for you, Breonna Taylor. Surprising? Not really. But it doesn’t make it any less heartbreaking and infuriating.
Rey-Rey is on Twitter at @TheNoLookPass.
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