Highsmith blunt as he moves into bigger role. And notable data, Adebayo thoughts on Herro
The Heat’s fluid starting frontcourt spot alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo has been a revolving door since late in the playoffs, and the Wheel of Forwards spun again and landed on Haywood Highsmith on Friday.
Highsmith became the fifth player to start up front with Adebayo over the Heat’s 11 most recent meaningful games, dating to the NBA Finals.
He replaced Kevin Love in the starting lineup; Nikola Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr. (who started in place of Butler for one game) and injured Caleb Martin also have made frontcourt starts with Adebayo since June.
In a chat last week, the serious and diligent Highsmith - a former undrafted forward from Wheeling - made this very clear: “Now that I’m here, I’m here to stay and trying to be an NBA player for a long, long time. Trying to get more minutes and create a role for myself in this league and putting everyone on notice that I’m here to stay.”
His 13th NBA start -- and first of the season -- went well on Friday. The Heat outscored the Wizards by 10 points in his 22 minutes, the best plus/minus of any player in the game.
He offered his usual defensive zeal and hit three of four shots on an eight-point night in Miami’s 121-114 win.
“I’m just trying to play defense, bring that edge,” he said. “Do all the little things. Now I’m at the point where [Erik Spoelstra] trusts me to put me in the starting lineup. That says a lot, means a lot.”
Highsmith is now 5 for 7 on three-pointers this season after making 8 of 16 during last season’s playoffs.
He took well over 100 threes most days during the summer, sometimes “500.”
The data shows his dramatic improvement on threes: from 10 for 33 over his first two NBA seasons (24 games) to 33.9 last season (37 for 109) to 13 for 23 since the playoffs started in April.
Offensively, “he’s much improved, much different than when we first got him in the COVID year,” Spoelstra said Friday.
He said the confidence in his three-point shot has risen appreciably.
“When I catch it, I go right up,” he said. “No second guessing, no hitching. When you put in so many reps [with threes], I’m confident and comfortable. Every time I come to the bench and if I don’t shoot [an open corner three, assistant coach], Caron Butler is talking to me about not being flat-footed, being ready to shoot all the time.”
The message, delivered by Spoelstra after last season, was taken to heart.
Spoelstra told him to “continue to get better at what I’m doing, making open shots, cutting to the basket, playing off the ball with some of the better players on the team – Tyler [Herro], Bam [Adebayo] and Jimmy [Butler],” Highsmith said. “Defensively being a dawg, like Patrick Beverley, P.J. Tucker, playing with that tenacity.”
There has never been a question about the defense; Jayson Tatum shot 4 for 17 when defended by Highsmith last season (including the Eastern Conference finals), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander 0 for 6 and Kristaps Porzingis 2 for 10.
“Defensively, just the toughness and ability to guard multiple positions” is an asset, Spoelstra said. “He plays much bigger than what his size might appear. He’s downsized, really a 230-pound frame. He’s playing significantly lighter. That’s helping his speed, quickness.”
Spoelstra said the shift to Highsmith in the starting lineup “is just a move for right now,... to stabilize, a move I felt was best for the time being. K-Love is going to have a role for us.” Love was available but did not play on Friday.
HERRO’S ASCENT
Beyond averaging a career high 25.8 points, Herro also is averaging a career-high 5.0 assists, after Friday’s 24-point, 10-rebound, 9-assist game that left him one assist short of his second career triple double.
“He doesn’t only look at the basket anymore,” Adebayo said. “He’s that skilled. He has made himself more dynamic to the point where if you blitz him, he knows how to make a crosscourt pass. He has really improved on looking off guys with his eyes and hitting pinpoint passes. He has really grown in that aspect.”
Through six games, Herro has held the player he guarded to 43.2 percent shooting, best among Heat starters.
“I’m not a bad defender,” he said Friday night. “I’m trying to tell you guys that. If you watch the game, I’m decent. I am getting better. I was our best defender at Kentucky…. I have speed and quickness. I can read plays before they happen.”
Four talented scorers -- Mikal Bridges, Cade Cunningham, Jordan Poole and Cam Thomas -- have shot 8 for 22 (36.3 percent) against Herro this season. Herro has seven steals in six games.
“He has definitely stepped up and taken those challenges,” Adebayo said of Herro’s defense. “He’s not getting blown by as much. He’s staying in front of guys. It’s good to see him grow his game.
“Everybody just thought he was just a bucket. He’s showing you all that he can pass,... rebound. Now he’s showing you all that he can defend through different coverages. He’s definitely showing you all that he can do it all.”
▪ Per HoopsHabit’s Simon Smith, Herro joined Dwyane Wade, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant as the only players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists and shoot at least 45 percent on threes in the first six games of a season.
LEADING THE WAY
Multiple times this season, Spoelstra has spoken of Butler, Adebayo and Herro leading the way for this roster.
“The thing we need,” Spoelstra said, “is Jimmy, Bam and Tyler all playing at a high level, at an efficient level, bringing the best out of each other, and then ultimately raising the level of everybody else on the roster, which they’re all capable of doing.”
Herro appreciates that perspective: “We get paid the most, and with that comes responsibility. It’s up to us to be on the same page as a trio to lead these guys and lead our teammates so that they can follow us and we can do this as a collective....
“That’s how we’ve made a run in the past, being connected. We’re not the most talented team but if we can be connected,.… that makes a difference.”
Next up for the Heat: a Monday home game against the Lakers.
This story was originally published November 4, 2023 at 11:39 AM.
