As the Miami Heat got a win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, 128-120, it was a collective effort that saw many contributions, but there's no denying that Tyler Herro led the way. With even the Hornets giving props to the Heat star in Herro after the contest, the guard is finally showing his All-Star form from last year in what is the most important time of the season.

In what has been an injury-riddled season for Herro, as he's missed 45 games due to a myriad of injuries, he displayed why he was an All-Star last season on Friday night. Having recently returned from a 15-game absence due to a ribs injury, Herro has been getting more comfortable in the past eight games, but Friday saw the three-point shot come back as he was eight of 10 from that range.

In total, Herro scored a season-high 33 points on 11 of 20 shooting from the field to go along with nine assists and nine rebounds in 37 minutes, garnering a “sensational” take from head coach Erik Spoelstra.

“You can see that he's been gaining more rhythm each game. And tonight the three-ball finally started to go for him. And then he can just see how that just opens up so much stuff for his game…He just was sensational tonight,” Spoelstra said, via Heat Central on X, formerly Twitter.

“I mean, it would have been great to see him have a triple-double, because he had that kind of impact, he was moving the ball when he needed to, he was scoring when he needed to,” Spoelstra continued. “He was manipulating the defense when he needed to.”

Tyler Herro on the Heat's “collective win” over the Hornets 

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Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) gets a loose ball from Charlotte Hornets forward Kon Knueppel (7), Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (12) and center forward Bam Adebayo (13) during the second half at the Spectrum Center.
Sam Sharpe-Imagn

After the Heat's dominant win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, the team needed to get a win on Friday against the Hornets, especially since entering the contest, Miami was eighth in the East with Charlotte ninth, separated by two games. The team had been looking to capitalize on big games, and Friday was a great step in the right direction, especially in stifling the Hornets' surging momentum.

“We woke up this morning, we got in late last night. And, I mean, our mindset was to come in here and try to steal one on the road,” Herro said in his post-game TV interview spot. “We know how much it's meant to us in the standings. And it was a collective win from top to bottom. Spo said this morning, ‘For competitors only.' We came in and competed; that was a win right there.”

At any rate, the Heat (35-29) looks to extend its current four-game winning streak into Sunday's tough matchup against the Detroit Pistons, who boast the NBA's best record at 45-16.