If there were any concerns that Tyler Herro was going to mess up the Miami Heat’s strong start, he quickly put them to rest.

The 6’5 guard’s season debut was delayed by a month as he rehabilitated from offseason ankle surgery. Despite his absence, the Heat still managed to get off to a strong start, winning 11 of their first 17 games.

Miami has leaned heavily on newcomer Norman Powell for scoring this season which left many concerned about Herro’s eventual fit given that they are both perimeter scoring threats. Powell, who arrived from the Los Angeles Clippers via a trade last July, is in the midst of the best season of his career and is leading the Heat in scoring with 24.5 points per game.

When Herro finally made his season debut, Powell was out due to an injury. This left Herro with the greenest of green lights in his first game back. The 25-year-old guard played as if he never missed any time, putting up 24 points on 12-of-18 shooting, seven rebounds, and three steals in 29 minutes. He hit a crucial floater with 42 seconds left in the final period that broke a 104-all deadlock and put Miami ahead for good.

Herro followed up his debut with another strong showing—29 points, three 3-pointers, five rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block—as the Heat beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 106–103. Powell suited up for this one, but he took a back seat as Herro set the tone early with seven points in the first quarter. The sample is small, but the early signs point to a workable fit—Herro’s improved playmaking should allow them to operate alongside one another.

It’s easy to forget Herro is still just 25, given how quickly he made an impact as a rookie for the Heat in the 2019–20 campaign. He has rounded out his game through the years, and Miami’s patience is paying off. He made his first NBA All-Star team last season and if he sustains this level over the next few weeks, another selection should not be ruled out.

The timing of Herro’s return could not have come at a better time as he has helped extend the Heat’s winning streak to six games–the second longest active streak behind only the Toronto Raptors. With Herro already in midseason form, the Heat are all the more going to be a force to be reckoned with. If this team can stay healthy, ongoing winning streak might just be an opening act for something even bigger.