With just three games total on the docket for tonight, all eyes were in Miami as the\u00a0Heat\u00a0took on the\u00a0Toronto Raptors\u00a0at Kaseya Center. After a rocky start to the season, and with\u00a0Jimmy Butler\u00a0trade rumors running wild, the Heat are in a complicated situation right now but they were still able to pull out a win and move to 13-10 on the season.<\/p>\n
After a sluggish opening frame, the Heat found themselves down by 6 after the first 12 minutes but they quickly found a spark offensively which fueled a 35-24 second quarter. The Raptors always kept the game within striking distance but the Heat were able to cruise to a 114-104 victory relatively easily.<\/p>\n
Tyler Herro\u00a0was the star of the show for Miami with 23 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on 69.2% shooting. He was a team-high +30 in 32:19 minutes of play.\u00a0Bam Adebayo\u00a0had 21 points and 16 rebounds in the frontcourt while shooting 8-17 from the field.\u00a0Nikola Jovic\u00a0led the Heat bench with 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist on 4-5 shooting.\u00a0Jimmy Butler\u00a0had a relatively off night for his standards with just 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists on 3-8 shooting.<\/p>\n
For the Raptors,\u00a0Gradey Dick\u00a0had an impressive showing in the loss with 22 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists on 42.1% shooting. Jakob Poeltl put up 16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists on 58.3% shooting off the bench while\u00a0RJ Barrett\u00a0finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists on 5-18 shooting.<\/p>\n
Against a\u00a0Toronto Raptors\u00a0team that is still in rebuild mode, it was the perfect opportunity for the Heat to test themselves and pick up a win to secure their place in the standings. While it was far from a perfect victory, it was enough for them to come out on the winning side while learning some key factors about their team that might help them win even more games going forward.<\/p>\n
The Miami Heat haven’t been entirely sold on Tyler Herro since he was drafted back in 2019. While his potential has always been high, streaky shooting and weak defensive coverage often held him back from making the most impact on the floor. Over the past few years, Herro has been involved in countless trade rumors since so many people view him as expendable.<\/p>\n
But this season, Herro has quietly been the Heat’s most consistent offensive player. For the season, he’s averaging 24.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game on 47.7% shooting, and in this game he had one of his best matches yet with a stat line of\u00a023 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists on 69.2% shooting.<\/p>\n
In a game where Butler was struggling with his shot, the Heat needed someone to step up and Herro answered the call. At just 24, the shooting guard still has room to grow and develop his game but his strong play this season is a great sign for the future of the franchise.<\/p>\n