NBA: Heat’s late-game heroics hold off Jazz

FILE – Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat celebrates a three-point shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers during their game at the Miami-Dade Arena on March 10, 2023 in Miami, Florida. Al Bello/Getty Images/AFP

Tyler Herro swished a go-ahead 3-pointer with 55 seconds left, leading the host Miami Heat to a 119-115 win over the Utah Jazz on Monday night.

Utah had a chance to tie the score with 6.2 seconds left, and Ochai Agbaji saw a clear path to the goal. However, Heat center Bam Adebayo rotated over and forced Agbaji to change his shot, resulting in an airball. Adebayo grabbed the rebound, got fouled and made two free throws for a 119-115 lead.

Tyler's clutch 3 with under a minute to go put us on top for good 🔥 pic.twitter.com/CceDRNc5cu

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 14, 2023

Jimmy Butler led Miami with 24 points, eight rebounds and four assists as the Heat improved to 23-13 at home. Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent added 18 points each, and Adebayo posted 16 points and nine rebounds.

Utah, which had its two-game win streak snapped, was led by Lauri Markkanen’s game-high 38 points. Reserve forward Simone Fontecchio added a career-high 23 points, including 20 in the first half. Fontecchio, an undrafted 27-year-old rookie, is a native of Italy.

Utah’s Talen Horton-Tucker, coming off a 37-point game in a win over Charlotte on Saturday, had a game-high eight assists but was held to nine points. He made just 3 of 13 shots from the floor.

Jimmy led the team tonight in points, blocks, steals and hair changes pic.twitter.com/bdHCj2o52N

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) March 14, 2023

Heat backup center Omer Yurtseven, who had ankle surgery in November, played just his second game of the season, producing two points and four rebounds in 11 minutes.

Yurtseven played in place of Cody Zeller, who suffered a broken nose in Miami’s loss to Orlando on Saturday.

Early on Monday, it was all Miami, which led the entire first quarter and by as many as 12 points. By the end of the period, the Heat had a 33-26 advantage, thanks to 59.1-percent shooting, including 5-for-11 on 3-pointers.

Utah stormed back in the second quarter, leading by as many as eight points. However, Miami closed the second quarter on a 7-0 run, cutting Utah’s halftime lead to 57-56. Miami cooled off in the second quarter, shooting just 27.8 percent, including 1-for-8 from deep.

Markkanen led all first-half scorers with 21 points. Fontecchio scored 20 points.

Things tightened up even more in the third quarter, which ended with the teams tied, 90-90.

The first four minutes of the fourth quarter featured nine lead changes, and the game was close to the wire.

Miami, however, won the game at the foul line by going 31-for-36. Utah went 13-for-18 on free throws.

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