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The Los Angeles Lakers claimed their 17th championship on Sunday after defeating the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of the NBA Finals following a dominating effort, both on offense and defense.
The performance by the Lakers ended what became an impressive playoff run by the Heat. Miami was just the third team in history seeded fifth or lower to advance to the NBA Finals, and the first since the New York Knicks in 1999.
The Heat embraced the underdog role and carried that mentality into the playoffs. They defeated three strong teams to make it to the NBA Finals, in the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics, and came up just short in the end.
One of the many storylines to emerge was the play of Heat rookie Tyler Herro. He had a productive regular season with the Heat but burst onto the scene during the postseason and turned in a magnificent run, impressing many along the way.
Herro averaged 16 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 21 postseason games with the Heat and notched a number of notable playoff records and achievements. With the Heat’s season now over, Rookie Wire took a look at what Herro accomplished during his first playoff run.
Notable playoff records and achievements accomplished by Herro
- 11: The most 3-pointers by a rookie in the NBA Finals.
- 20: The most consecutive games by a rookie to score in double figures, topping the previous mark of 19, set by Alvan Adams in 1976.
- 20.7: The youngest player to start in the NBA Finals.
- 37: The Heat franchise playoff record by a rookie in a single game versus the Boston Celtics in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The 37-point outburst was also the most ever for a rookie in a playoff game.
- 48: The most 3-pointers by a rookie during a single postseason run.
- 335: The total number of points scored during the postseason, which ranks fourth all-time among rookies. He previously set the record for the most points by a rookie reserve in NBA postseason history, surpassing Manu Ginobili’s 226 points in 2003.
Despite losing in the NBA Finals, the Heat appear to have a bright future ahead with a core group that features Herro, Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and others.
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