NBA: Tyler Herro saves the day as Heat stun Magic
Miami Heat guard Alec Burks, left, congratulates guard Tyler Herro, right, who hit the winning 2-point basket against the Orlando Magic during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
ORLANDO, Florida — Tyler Herro hit a 19-foot jumper with 0.5 seconds left Thursday night to give the Miami Heat an 89-88 win over the Orlando Magic.
Jalen Suggs, who scored 29 points for the Magic, missed a long jumper at the buzzer.
Article continues after this advertisementHerro finished with 20 points to help the Heat come back from an early 17-point deficit and avenge a loss to the Magic last Friday in which they squandered a 22-point fourth-quarter lead.
READ: NBA: Pat Riley says Miami Heat will not trade Jimmy Butler
"He makes it look easy."
Herro seals the W for the Heat in Orlando! https://t.co/f4MehCMwry pic.twitter.com/8t1e9JdDGS
— NBA (@NBA) December 27, 2024
Alec Burks scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter for Miami, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 15 points.
Article continues after this advertisementTristan da Silva had 18 points and six rebounds for the Magic.
Takeaways
Heat: Playing a third straight game without Jimmy Butler, and five days after squandering a 25-point lead in Orlando, the Heat shot 15 for 30 on 3-pointers and made six in the fourth quarter.
Magic: In the third of five straight home games, the Magic managed only 88 points after scoring 31 in the first quarter. They shot 5 for 29 from 3-point range, staying at the bottom of the NBA in that category.
READ: NBA: Adebayo scores 23, Heat snap 3-game skid at expense of Nets
Key moment
A tip-in by Goga Bitadze regained a one-point lead for the Magic with 4.9 seconds left, but they left just enough time for Herro to dribble to an open spot and hit the game-winning shot.
Key stat
The Heat fell behind 14-0 by committing five turnovers and missing their first five shots. But the Magic finished the game with 23 turnovers, including nine in the fourth quarter, to Miami’s 21.
Up Next
Heat visit Atlanta on Saturday, and Magic host New York on Friday.
