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May 3 (UPI) -- Miami Heat sharpshooter Tyler Herro was named the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year for the 2021-22 season, the league announced Tuesday. Herro was a near unanimous choice for the award, receiving 96 out of a possible 100 first-place votes from a panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. He accumulated 488 total points to capture the honor.
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Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love finished in second place with 214 points (three first-place votes). Phoenix Suns forward Cameron Johnson was third with 128 points (one first-place vote).
"We're trying to win a championship here, so whether it's starting or coming off the bench for me, I accepted that role," Herro said last month after he was announced as a finalist for the award. "I'm just happy to be on this team and happy to accept my role."
To be eligible for the honor, a player has to come off the bench in more games than he started. Herro came off the bench in 56 of the 66 games he played, averaging 20.7 points, five rebounds and four assists.
The 22-year-old Herro is the first Heat player to win the award and just the fifth player to average at least 20 points off the bench -- having played a minimum of 50 games -- since starts were first tracked in the 1970-71 season.
Herro, the No. 13 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, helped guide Miami to a 53-29 record and the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this season. The Heat currently lead the Philadelphia 76ers 1-0 in the East semifinals.
