Miami Heat rookie Tyler Herro made his imprint on the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night, scoring a career-high (and Heat rookie playoff record) 37 points to help his team hold off the Celtics 112-109 and take a 3-1 series lead.
Herro became the second youngest player in NBA history to score 35 or more in a playoff game.
| Player (Team) | Year | Age | Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Rose (Bulls) | 2009 | 20 years, 196 days old | First round vs. Boston |
| Tyler Herro (Heat) | 2020 | 20 years, 247 days old | Conference finals vs. Boston |
| Magic Johnson (Lakers) | 1980 | 20 years, 276 days old | NBA Finals vs. 76ers |
In scoring 37 against Boston, Herro also became the youngest ever to score 30 or more in the conference finals.
| Player | Age |
|---|---|
| Tyler Herro | 20 years, 247 days |
| Daniel Gibson | 21 years, 95 days |
| Kobe Bryant | 21 years, 284 days |
| Moses Malone | 22 years, 43 days |
And, per Elias Sports Bureau, he had one of the best playoff performances by a reserve since the 1970-71 season.
| Player (Team) | Year | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Fred Brown (Sonics) | 1976 | 45 |
| Stephen Curry (Warriors) | 2016 | 40 |
| Nick Van Exel (Mavericks) | 2003 | 40 |
| Thurl Bailey (Jazz) | 1988 | 39 |
| Tyler Herro (Heat) | 2020 | 37 |
| Fred Brown (Sonics) | 1975 | 37 |
| Note: 1970-71 is when starters were first denoted in box scores | ||
Herro appeared to be dialed in all game, finishing 14-for-21 from the field and 5-for-10 from beyond the arc.
“The rim must have looked like the ocean,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said in his postgame conference.
