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Miami Heat rookie Tyler Herro posted the worst plus/minus during the NBA Finals since 2008 as the Los Angeles Lakers rolled to a 116-98 win in Game 1 on Wednesday.
Herro, who became the first player born in the 2000s to play in the NBA Finals, finished with 14 points, four rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes off of the bench. He shot 6-of-18 from the field, including 2-of-8 from 3-point range, and finished a minus-35 while on the court.
His minus-35 is the worst plus/minus in the NBA Finals since Kobe Bryant finished with the same mark in Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Finals when the Boston Celtics closed out the Lakers, according to Basketball-Reference. Herro and Bryant are the only two players to finish minus-35.
Herro finished -35; the only other player to post a -35 in an #NBAFinals game since 1997 is Kobe Bryant, in Game 6 of the 2008 Finals https://t.co/88ig7I6u74 https://t.co/Uhjr0SoVoo
— Basketball Reference (@bball_ref) October 1, 2020
The Heat led by 13 points during the first quarter but allowed the Lakers to finish the period on a 19-3 lead and L.A. never looked back. The Lakers pushed the advantage to as many as 32 points as LeBron James picked up his first Game 1 win in the NBA Finals since 2011.
Anthony Davis scored a game-high 34 points while James added 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists in the victory. Davis’ 34 points were tied for the third-most scored in an NBA Finals debut in Lakers franchise history, behind George Mikan (42) and Shaquille O’Neal (43).
Miami suffered two key injuries during the game as Goran Dragic did not play in the second half due to a left foot injury while Bam Adebayo left in the third quarter with a strained left shoulder. Dragic reportedly suffered a plantar tear, and could eventually play again, while X-rays for Adebayo were negative.
The Heat will be forced to make numerous adjustments ahead of Game 2 and much of their strategy will depend on the availability of Dragic and Adebayo. Heat rookie Kendrick Nunn scored 18 points off of the bench in the second half and could see more time in Game 2.
Game 2 is set to tip-off on Friday at 9 p.m. ET on ABC.
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