Miami Heat: Tyler Johnson shines despite bleak loss to Nets
By Simon Smith
While many of his Miami Heat teammates struggled in their loss to the Brooklyn Nets, reserve guard Tyler Johnson came to the fore.
Despite suffering a disappointing 107-88 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, the Miami Heat again realized the importance of reserve guard Tyler Johnson.
With several members of the Heat starting lineup struggling, Johnson’s contribution off the bench was a rare bright spot in an otherwise lifeless display.
Playing 23 minutes, Johnson scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds — both game-highs. Johnson’s efficiency was highly impressive, going 6-of-12 overall from the floor and nailing all eight of his free throw attempts.
Continuing with his theme of constant improvement, Johnson displayed a vast array of scoring options in this game, whether it was attacking the rim, stepping back from the mid-range, or launching from downtown. Furthermore, Johnson’s athleticism also came to the forefront with the manner in which he attacked the boards from the guard position.
This type of performance has become a regular occurrence for the Fresno State product, following a breakout season in which he posted 13.7 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 29.8 minutes per game. Playing all 73 games off the bench, Johnson made an impression by tying for 11th in Sixth Man of the Year voting.
The following sequence was a prime example of the hustle Johnson displayed that on the night. After nailing a 3-pointer from the top of the key, Johnson then soared for the defensive rebound before taking the ball the length of the floor and getting to the free throw line, where he converted on both attempts.
Such hustle and energy has become a trademark of Johnson’s game, and it was unfortunate this was lacking from several of his teammates on the night.
Overall, it was a dismal night for the Heat, shooting 4-of-28 overall from 3-point range, and in the process registering just 12 assists for the night. In addition to their long range struggles, the Heat also had a night to forget from the free throw line, converting on 20-of-32 attempts.
Considering the Heat finished dead last last season in free throw percentage at a 70.6 percent clip, such a return will certainly raise the eyebrows of head coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff.
Furthermore, the Heat lost the battle on the boards 62-38, which included giving up 16 offensive rebounds to the Nets. Following the game, Johnson was philosophical from an overall team perspective:
"“Guys are in new roles, new positions, so it’s nothing to be concerned about. It’s the preseason.”"
Aside from Johnson, center Hassan Whiteside was the only other performance of note, posting 19 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in just 18 minutes on the court.
But the story of the night was Tyler Johnson, and his significant importance in the Heat’s second unit. Entering the season, Johnson has somewhat come under the radar. The Heat’s offseason was quite busy, re-signing free-agents Dion Waiters and James Johnson, while attracting another free agent in center Kelly Olynyk. Additionally, the front office also extended the contract of swingman Josh Richardson.
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So with much of the attention surrounding his teammates, Johnson has entered the season with little fanfare despite his notable contributions last season. After a strong opening performance of 14 points in 17 minutes against the Atlanta Hawks, Johnson’s follow-up against the Nets only points to a rosy outlook for the 25-year-old in 2017-18.