In a thrilling NBA Cup matchup on Tuesday night, Malik Beasley stepped up for the Detroit Pistons by sinking a decisive free throw just 1.1 seconds before the conclusion of overtime. This pivotal moment happened after the Miami Heat were assessed a technical foul for mistakenly calling a timeout when they had already exhausted their supply. The final score was 123-121 in favor of the Pistons.
The intensity of the game was heightened when Tyler Herro’s jumper propelled the Heat to a brief 121-119 lead with only 1.8 seconds remaining. However, following a strategically called timeout, Cade Cunningham executed a perfectly timed alley-oop pass to Jalen Duren. Unfortunately for Miami, the illegal timeout resulted in the technical foul, allowing Beasley to convert the foul shot, giving Detroit a 122-121 edge, followed by another free throw for good measure just before the buzzer.
Both Beasley and Cunningham contributed significantly to the Pistons’ victory, finishing the game with 21 points each. This marked a promising turnaround for Detroit, especially considering their disappointing performance in last year’s NBA Cup where they failed to secure a win. For Miami, Herro showcased a remarkable performance, racking up 40 points, with 20 of those coming during the fourth quarter and overtime.
In terms of highlights from the game, the Heat faced an early setback as Nikola Jovic had to leave the contest in the first quarter due to an injury. He suffered a reduced septum after an accidental collision with Beasley that left him bleeding. The situation took another serious turn when Tim Hardaway Jr. was injured during the third quarter following a crash with Herro and Duren. Hardaway was already down when Duren inadvertently landed on him, causing his knee to hit Hardaway’s head. After receiving medical assistance on the floor, a bloodied Hardaway was eventually wheeled off for further evaluation.
A key moment in the game occurred when the Pistons surged ahead early in the second quarter, leading 39-21. It looked like they might run away with the game, but the Heat answered with an impressive 23-4 run, led by Bam Adebayo, Herro, and Duncan Robinson, which gave them a 44-43 advantage with 4:14 remaining in the first half.
Notably, Herro’s performance in the fourth quarter was stellar as he managed to score 18 points, shooting an impressive 6-of-9, which included 6-of-8 from behind the three-point line, underscoring his pivotal role in the Heat’s contest.
Looking ahead, the Pistons will take to the court again on Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks. Meanwhile, the Heat will have a short break before their next two games, scheduled against the Indiana Pacers on Friday and Sunday.