It’s been all Cavaliers through two games against the Heat in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
After a 121-112 victory over Miami, Cleveland guard Darius Garland was asked what the key to playing clean basketball has been for the Cavs.
Garland didn’t hesitate. With a blank face and a monotone voice, the star delivered his answer:
“Pick on Tyler Herro.”
It’s an interesting response on a night when the Heat guard went for 33 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in a tight loss. But most basketball fans know Herro is a sub-par defender.
Especially in the playoffs, the Miami star is a target on pick-and-rolls and other switches that force him onto an opposing threat.
The Cavs plan
Pick on Tyler Herro pic.twitter.com/XQh9Uve7vD
— Barstool Gambling (@stoolgambling) April 24, 2025
The Cavs had an ORTG of 177.8 when Tyler was the primary defender.
64 points on 36 possessions.
The Cavs had a 111.8 ORTG when Tyler wasn’t the primary defender.
57 points on 51 possessions.
The Heat last night had a Tyler Herro problem.
— COACH LU🏀 (@SaucyTakez) April 21, 2025
MORE: Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell pulls off impossible in 4th quarter
Garland continued on: “Take care of the ball, don’t play in tight spaces, and pick on their weak defenders.”
The caveat for Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is he can’t take Herro off the floor. The guard is the team’s best player on the offensive end. They won’t have a chance to keep pace with Cleveland’s lethal lineup without him.
But Garland, Donovan Mitchell, and company will be happy to see Herro on the floor so they can bring whoever he’s hiding up to the top of the key for a switch. Mitchell dropped 30 and Garland ended with 21 in game two.
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Miami can’t live with Herro, but they can’t live without him.
