Tyler Herro has often said he patterns his game after his fellow University of Kentucky brother, Devin Booker.

Both 6-5.

Flawless shooting release.

Certified bucket getters.

“He’s always been a mentor, like an idol to me,” said Herro about Booker in an NBATV feature that aired two months ago.

The rookie caught fire like the player he idolizes in scoring a career-high 37 points in Miami’s 112-109 win over Boston in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals.

“Once you see a couple of shots go down, and when you’re getting shots in rhythm, the game flows,” said Herro, after Wednesday’s win as the Heat took a 3-1 series lead. “I know where I’m going to get my shots. I’m going to get the same shots in the next game in the same spots. It’s just about making them.”  

Game 5 is Friday as Miami is a victory away from returning to the NBA finals for the first time since 2014.

Herro was just 14 years old at the time.

Now the 20-year-old is playing beyond his years as he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 30-plus points in a conference finals.

“He knows what he’s capable of and he just plays with so much confidence,” Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler said. “He’s been doing it all year long. To him, there’s no pressure or anything. He’s just going to keep playing basketball the right way.”

Nearly a year before putting themselves in this position, the Heat were in Phoenix to face the Suns

Both teams were a surprising 5-2. Phoenix was coming off an upset win over Philadelphia while Miami had lost at Denver to begin a three-game road trip.

So this Nov. 7 game had some intrigue, but a subplot was Herro playing against his idol, Booker, for the first time in the NBA. Booker revealed after a morning shootaround he and Herro connected before Herro committed to play at Kentucky.

“He started working out with the same trainer that I had,” Booker said. “We exchanged information through social media and ever since then, the relationship was built.” 

Herro had already let it be known he was a fan of Booker’s game.

The feeling’s mutual.

“He’s hard-working, he has that competitive mindset,” Booker said. “He has that dog in him every time he touches the court.”

When Herro heard what Booker said about him, he couldn’t have been happier.

“It means a lot,” Herro said before the game. “He’s one of my favorite players I look up to. For that to come out of his mouth, that’s big for me to continue to stay confident and keeping that dog mentality throughout the year.”

Then Herro proceeded to score 15 points with two coming on a layup after stealing the ball from Booker in helping Miami handle Phoenix, 124-108.  

Booker scored 22, but had six turnovers in the loss. He got back at the Heat in the rematch in the bubble with a 35-point performance in Phoenix’s 119-112 win.

Not to be outdone, Herro nearly posted a triple double with 25 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds. 

Herro showed that “dog” mentality then and continues to do so in the playoffs.

Reaching double figures in every game, Herro nearly had a triple double in Game 1 against Boston (12 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists), scored 22 in Game 3 and shot 5-of-10 from 3 in his 37-point eruption Wednesday. 

“I’m just going to bet on myself,” Herro said. “I’ve been doing that my whole life. Went from Milwaukee, a small town in Milwaukee, to Kentucky. Nobody thought I’d survive there. Nobody thought I’d survive here. At the end of the day, it’s just betting on myself. Obviously there are a lot of factors that play into it, but at the end of the day, I’m just going to bet on myself. That’s what I’ll do. Bet on myself.”

Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on Twitter at @DuaneRankin.

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