Erik Spoelstra impressed by Tyler Herro’s “rhythm”

The Heat didn’t miss a step with Tyler Herro returning to the lineup for the first time this season on Monday, picking up their fifth straight win and eighth in 10 games to move to 12-6.

Herro, back after ankle surgery, delivered a team-high 24 points and hit a key late bucket to help seal the win over Dallas.

“It’s amazing that he can come back and have that kind of rhythm, and that’s only going to get better,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said, telling reporters that Herro’s skill and scoring punch are essential.

“You need as much skill and firepower as possible in this league. And it was just exciting to have him back.”

Herro needed only a brief stretch to shake off rust in Miami’s new uptempo system. As ESPN’s Tim MacMahon notes, after missing his first four shots, he made 12 of his final 14.

“You see it out there, man,” Bam Adebayo said. “We got a lot of guys that’s hard to guard off the catch … Everyone feels involved, everyone gets a chance to be aggressive, and we’re being successful off of it.”

Spoelstra echoed that sentiment, saying Herro fits naturally into the offense: “He’s going to fit right in. He’s going to amplify everything we’re doing.”

Miami currently leads the NBA in both pace (106.14 possessions per 48 minutes) and scoring (123.9 points per game).