STALT LAKE CITY —— Tyler Herro connected on the game-winning 3-pointer jumper as time expired to lift the Miami Heat to a 126-123 victory over the Utah Jazz in an NBA result on Saturday, December 31 in Salt Lake City.
“The ball was flying around,” Herro said. “We were making plays for each other, getting stops defensively and turning it into easy buckets on the other end.”
Herro pushed the length of the court and then made the off-balance shot off of one foot after Utah’s Lauri Markkanen tied the game with three free throws with 6.1 seconds remaining. Herro ended the game with 29 points on 10 of 20 shooting with nine rebounds, six assists and two steals for the Heat (19-18).
“You want the ball in his hands because you know he wants those moments,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said.
Center Bam Adebayo paced all the scorers with 32 points to go with his eight rebounds, while Victor Oladipo contributed 23 points, five rebounds, and five assists for Miami to close out the 2022 calendar year on a winning note. Read more: Timme scores 35pts, No. 10 Gonzaga wins 44th straight over Pepperdine
“That’s what we need,” Adebayo said after the Heat shot 51% from the field and dished out 32 assists on 45 baskets. “That’s what makes us a better team, when everybody is involved and flying around and making shots. The ball’s not sticking.”
It was the best game of the season so far for Oladipo, and he is staying grounded.
“My path and my journey is different than a lot of people’s (journeys) and I have to remember that and just continue to stay patient with myself,” Oladipo said. “Soon I’ll be exactly where I need to be.”
Markkanen led the Jazz with a double-double with 29 points and 14 rebounds, Jordan Clarkson added 22 points, and Malik Beasley ended with 17 points and Collin Sexton and Kelly Olynyk each scored 14 as Utah (19-20) suffered a fourth consecutive loss.
