Miami’s Tyler Herro among rookies making preseason noise

Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) shoots and scores against Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (11) during the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Monday, Oct. 14, 2019, in Miami. | AP Photo

MIAMI  — Add Miami’s Tyler Herro to the list of rookies who look ready for the regular season.

Herro scored Miami’s first 14 points on Monday night, going 5 for 5 in that stretch, and finished with 23 points in a 120-87 Heat victory over the Atlanta Hawks.

Through three games in this preseason, Herro — the No. 13 pick in this year’s draft — is shooting 18 for 33 from the field for 49 points.

“The kid can play,” Heat assistant coach Malik Allen said in a televised halftime interview. “He has a confidence but he’s a student of the game, he’s smart, he’s an extremely quick learner and you’re seeing that.”

Among those taken in June’s draft, some have wasted no time in announcing their presence to the NBA world.

New Orleans’ Zion Williamson, the No. 1 pick, is averaging 23.3 points and shooting 71% in the Pelicans’ four preseason games — all wins. Ja Morant, the No. 2 pick for Memphis, is among the league’s assist leaders in exhibition season with 23 in his first three games.

No. 3 pick RJ Barrett is averaging 16 points for New York, No. 7 pick Coby White 16.8 points for Chicago and No. 28 pick Jordan Poole had 36 points in his first two games with Golden State entering Monday night.

Herro is only adding to what has been an impressive class.

“He just loves to play,” Allen said. “He loves to play, he loves to be out there, he loves the moment.”

Next week, the moments start for real.

HEAT 120, HAWKS 87

Herro’s 23 points led the way for Miami, which used an 18-2 second-quarter run to take control.

Bam Adebayo scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Heat, who are 3-0 in the preseason. Meyers Leonard also scored 15 and Derrick Jones Jr. scored 14 before leaving in the fourth quarter after bumping knees with Atlanta’s John Collins.

Kendrick Nunn had 14 points in 14 minutes for Miami. Jimmy Butler scored seven points on 3 for 7 shooting in 26 1/2 minutes for the Heat.

Trae Young scored 23 points for Atlanta, and had seven more assists — giving him 23 in Atlanta’s three preseason games. The Hawks were again without Kevin Huerter, who is working his way through some knee pain.

Collins scored 14 for Atlanta, which got 10 from Vince Carter.

HORNETS 120, GRIZZLIES 99

Charlotte got its first win of the preseason, with Terry Rozier finishing with 24 points and eight assists to help the Hornets beat the Memphis Grizzlies.

Dwayne Bacon scored 21 and Devonte’ Graham added 18 for Charlotte. The Hornets closed the first quarter on a 26-9 run, then started the fourth quarter with a 26-4 burst to take control for good.

A pair of rookies stood out for Memphis: No. 21 pick Brandon Clarke had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Morant finished with 15 points and six assists.

MAVERICKS 107, THUNDER 70

Luka Doncic had 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists and Kristaps Porzingis added 17 points and 13 rebounds for Dallas.

Maxi Kleber had 14 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 13 and Justin Jackson 12 for the Mavericks (1-3).

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari — both of whom were acquired as part of July’s trade that sent Paul George to the Los Angeles Clippers — led Oklahoma City (2-1) with 16 points apiece.

KINGS 128, JAZZ 115

Buddy Hield had 23 points and five assists and Marvin Bagley III had 22 points and 11 rebounds for Sacramento.

Bogdan Bogdanovic added 16 points, five rebounds and eight assists and De’Aaron Fox scored 14 points for the Kings (2-2).

Donovan Mitchell led Utah (1-3) with 22 points and Rudy Gobert scored 17. Joe Ingles added 12 points and eight assists.