NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: CELTICS VS. HEAT

September 23, 2020

Tyler Herro

Miami Heat

Game 4: Postgame

Miami Heat 112, Boston Celtics 109

Q. Coach just talked about how important it was for your teammates to have confidence in you as opposed to the coaching staff. How much does their support play into how you're able to play as loose as you are?

TYLER HERRO: I mean, it's everything, really, everything. Obviously the coaches have trust in me but I think like Coach said, the biggest thing is my teammates from top to bottom trust me. From the oldest guy to the youngest guy and that's big. The vets are like that -- they really shine light on me ever since I've been in Miami. Jimmy has been the biggest influence for me and he just continues to teach me and help me. Without my teammates, I don't think that would be possible, especially as a rookie.

Q. On a night like tonight where you're scoring so well, trying to get your teammates going and make the right pass, how do you balance between making the right play and making your shot?

TYLER HERRO: At the end of the day, it's about making the right play, whether it's a shot or a pass to a teammate, whatever it is. Every night is a different night. Tonight was my night to score. Next game, I'm sure it will be different. I mean, just going out there and making the right play and trying to impact winning is the biggest thing for each of us.

Q. You talked about it but how important has the relationship been with Jimmy? I know you're confident already, but even giving you more confidence and giving you room to have these type of performances in your first season?

TYLER HERRO: Like I said before, it's everything. Jimmy, ever since I got here, he's been like a big brother to me and he's shined light on me. He's taught me a lot of things. He's just continuing to get on me, whether it's something I want to hear or not, he's going to tell me what I need to hear. I appreciate him for that.

Like I said, without Jimmy, I probably wouldn't be doing this as a rookie.

Q. You mentioned that confidence, but when you look up or at the stat sheet, you see 37 points, does it feel that way when you're playing that style? Do you sense how much you're scoring and what a groove or zone or whatever you want to call it you're in in such a big moment?

TYLER HERRO: Not really. I mean, I feel the groove I'm in. I feel like I have it going. But like I said before, any night it can be somewhat different, and when you think you have it going, you want to just try to be as efficient as possible and make the right play, and you know, tonight some shots were falling for me and my teammates just continued to give me the ball and I appreciate them for that.

Q. When you're in the zone the way that you are, are you able to stay in the zone or do you think about and are you motivated by the fact that you're helping your team who is now one game away, one win away, from the NBA Finals?

TYLER HERRO: Yeah, I think the biggest thing for me just trying to impact winning. At the end of the day, that's our biggest goal. You know, we have a great group of guys in the locker room and I think at the end of the day, everybody wants to win. And you know, I know my role. It's not to score 30, whatever I had tonight. It's not to do that every night. Some nights it may require me to step up like tonight and make some shots. But I know in the fourth quarter, we're going to get the ball to Jimmy; we're going to get the ball to Goran. Those are our guys. We are going to run to them and they are going it make the most plays for us and they are going to win us games most of the time. That's who we are going to get the ball to, and like I said, I just want to impact winning; whatever that means, I'll do.

Q. The rim must have looked like an ocean to you -- how good did it feel to find your shot and what, if anything, did you see out there that led you to believe that this was going to be your kind of night?

TYLER HERRO: I think once you see a couple shots go down, and when you're getting shots in rhythm, it's just -- the game flows. I know where I'm going to get my shots, and I'm going to get the same shots next game in the same spots. It's just about making them and trying to get a rhythm going early.

Like I said, once you see a couple shots go down, then the rest of the game is easier for you. Tonight was definitely a good night.

Q. The night you got drafted, feels probably like 10 years ago, you said -- first question you got asked, you said, "I'm going to surprise people." I'm going to guess you didn't surprise yourself tonight. Where does that confidence come from and where did it come from on draft night?

TYLER HERRO: I'm just going to bet on myself. I've been doing that my whole life. I went from, you know, Milwaukee, a small town in Milwaukee to Kentucky, and nobody thought I would survive there and nobody thought I would survive here. At the end of the day, it's just betting on myself. Obviously there's a lot of factors that play into it but at the end of the day, I'm just going to bet on myself. And that's what I do, bet on myself.

Q. Why is it do you think that people didn't think that you would survive in Kentucky, and didn't think that you were worthy of a higher draft pick?

TYLER HERRO: I think someone said my wingspan was too short. They say -- they say everything, but you know, whatever they say, it's whatever.

You know, at the end of the day all you can do is work at it, perfect your craft, come in with a great attitude and just respect everybody in the building. Good things will happen from there. It's just about putting in the work and really putting in time and effort to something you love.

Q. Obviously you've proven that you can score, and at the same time, even at this level, what's going on and where you're doing it at, the Eastern Conference Finals, but what are you doing off the dribble and improving in that area?

TYLER HERRO: I think I came into the league more as like a catch-and-shoot guy and that's what I'm labeled as, but as you can see, I can put the ball on the floor. I can make plays for others. I can get my own shot off the dribble, and that's what I did my whole life before Kentucky and before the NBA. I grew up with the ball in my hands and making plays and making tough shots. I feel like that's my game. But it's all about trust and letting -- you know, not everybody gets an opportunity like me, and my coaches, teammates, they trust me, and that's the biggest thing about it.

Q. As a team, tonight's game atmosphere wasn't as fiery in the first three quarters but wasn't passive either. Did you come into the game planning on playing with a sense of steadiness?

TYLER HERRO: Yeah, we wanted to focus on a full 48 minutes of our game. We felt like the first three games, even the two we won, you know, we got out and we trailed early and we felt like that hurt us. We wanted to come out and play a full 48 minutes of our Miami Heat basketball, stay steady throughout the game.

We had a great game plan coming in. We haven't done anything yet and we're focused on Game 5.

Q. Can you describe the way that you have developed this confidence that you have? Because it really is extraordinary that a player at 20 years old can come out and be the best player on the floor in a game of this magnitude.

TYLER HERRO: I mean, that's just who I am. I don't think I was the best player on the floor tonight, though. There's a lot of things that play a factor. We can't forget that Jimmy was still out there. Bam was out there. Goran was out there. There's a lot of good players on the floor tonight.

But I think that my confidence is that I can play with anybody, but I don't think that I was the best player on the floor. But I do think that I can play with anybody and I think my confidence is just -- that's just who I am. You can't survive in this league if you don't have confidence.

Q. I wanted to ask you, what led you to the Black Lives Matter on the jersey and do you have any thoughts on the Breonna Taylor news today?

TYLER HERRO: Yeah, I chose Black Lives Matter because Black Lives Matter, and I felt like this was our first -- Black Lives Matter means something to me. My teammates are predominately black. The league is predominately black, and there's obviously a problem going on in the world. I feel like this stage, with this type of platform, putting that on my jersey, everybody seen my last name but they also seen Black Lives Matter on the back and I think that's important. I think we have to do better in society and keep trying to push forward and black lives do matter.

Q. Any thoughts on the news today about Breonna Taylor?

TYLER HERRO: Yeah, I just think it's unfortunate. I think money is not justice, and that's really it.

Q. How do you feel when people compare you to Dwyane Wade and what do you think about closing out the series in Game 5?

TYLER HERRO: Game 5 is going to be tough obviously. They are going to bounce back, make some adjustments. I think we'll do the same. But Game 5 will be big. It's going to be a dogfight again. It's going to come down to the stretch.

But we have to come out and play a full 48 minutes like we did tonight, and even better, play better and get better. We're focused on Game 5. It's going to be a fight.

Q. After the game, Goran came up to you and told you he loved and you gave you a hug. How big has he been in your development and helping you build that confidence to take over in a game with as much repercussions as today?

TYLER HERRO: Yeah, Goran has been huge. I've been watching him since I was a little kid, and obviously now being able to play with him and learn from him has been huge in my development. He's unique in everything he does with the ball in his hands, on defense, ball out of his hands. He just knows how to play the game.

I've learned so much from him, and you know, obviously I couldn't be doing this without him, as well.

Q. How do you think the bubble experience has helped you develop into the great player you are today?

TYLER HERRO: The bubble experience?

Q. Yeah.

TYLER HERRO: I think it's -- I mean, it's whatever. I mean, it's just basketball at the end of the day. If there's fans here or not, we'd still be here. We'd still be one game away from the NBA Finals.

It's been a great experience obviously, but I think coming into it, you don't know what to expect, and took some time getting used to. But we're here now and we're ready to continue this journey.