Subscribe
Follow Us
Despite missing Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo for numerous games this season, the Miami Heat have been one of the top teams in basketball. They've suffered several injuries to their whole team, including Victor Oladipo, who has yet to play a game this season.
It would be reasonable to believe that the Heat would have had this much success if Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo had been playing at a high level before the season. It's impossible to overstate what the Heat have been able to pull off out of their role players this season. All of their guys have really stepped up, and this Miami Heat squad has a lot of unsung heroes. They'll need their role players to keep playing at a high level even when they're all healthy and on the floor if they want to continue having this kind of success.
Because of how well the Heat have performed without their marquee players this season, it's difficult to single out individuals who have truly been the team's unsung heroes. Despite the fact that many players have been outstanding, there have been two players who have gone above and beyond to help this Heat squad get to where they are now.
Let's take a look at the two biggest unsung heroes of the Miami Heat in 2022.
*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)*
Heat Unsung Heroes 2022
3. PJ Tucker
The Milwaukee Bucks made a horrible decision a season ago when they decided not to pay PJ Tucker the money he deserved. In Milwaukee, he almost put his career back on track in the eyes of many front offices since he was still able to play a high level of defense and be a key part of the Bucks' championship team.
When the Bucks decided to not give him the money he desired, the Heat stepped in and offered him the money he deserved. This was an excellent choice by the Heat front office since he has not only been a high-level defender for this team, but he is also playing the best offense of his career.
PJ Tucker is averaging 8.1 points per game this season, and he's shooting 45 percent from three-point range on three tries a game. Tucker is also averaging 5.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. This season, he has done it all on both sides of the ball, and he is a big reason why the Heat are presently the Eastern Conference's second seed.
Article Continues Below
PJ Tucker not only defends at a high level and makes three-point shots at a high level, but he also performs all the dirty work for a team and is everything a championship team needs. He's a fantastic match for this Miami Heat team since he's a great defender who also has the bulldog mindset that many of the Heat's players have sought to adopt.
He's been fantastic for them this season, and if the Heat want to have any chance in the playoffs, he'll need to keep playing at this level. Because of how difficult he makes it for the opposing team's best player, he will almost certainly be assigned to guard them. Tucker will play a key part in the playoffs, and he will need to perform at a high level if the Heat want to win an NBA title.
2. Tyler Herro
Tyler Herro had a terrible season last year. Many people saw what he did during the NBA bubble and believed that this youngster had the potential to be a high-level scorer one day.
During the offseason, he made some dubious remarks about how talented he thought he was compared to Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, and other young players drafted in or around the same year as him. All of those statements may not be accurate, given that they are two of the top players in the NBA. However, what he has accomplished this season cannot be overlooked.
Tyler Herro does not always start for the Heat, but he still plays 32.9 minutes per night and is deserving of every one of those minutes, scoring 20.7 points per game and shooting almost 40% from 3-point range on nearly seven tries per game.
Anyone who has seen the Miami Heat over the last several seasons knows how much they like shooting 3-pointers and moving the ball about. Tyler Herro is the offensive catalyst for this Heat squad because he can hit the 3-point shot and be one of those players that comes around the screen to fire shots as the Heat do.
Since being drafted, this kid has improved his game and has made a significant leap in terms of productivity.
