CHICAGO — The Miami Heat faced a critical moment in their game against the Chicago Bulls, trailing by five points as the final minute approached. Tyler Herro decided to take a three-point shot instead of driving for an uncontested layup. Unfortunately, he missed, and the Heat fell to the Bulls with a score of 119-111, a result that significantly impacted playoff seeding.
Reflecting on his choice, Herro said, “I was feeling that shot. It’s as simple as that. Looking back now, obviously, after missing it, I should have laid the ball up.” Entering the game as the team’s leading scorer, averaging a career-high 23.8 points, Herro, a sixth-year player from Kentucky, was named an All-Star this year and delivered another strong performance.
Herro topped the Heat with 30 points, but his late-game decision overshadowed his otherwise solid contributions. Miami was down 114-106 when Herro successfully hit a three-pointer with less than a minute on the clock. With Chicago’s Coby White handling the ball near midcourt, Herro managed to knock the ball loose while being guarded by Davion Mitchell.
Rather than attempting a clear drive to the hoop, Herro opted for another three-point shot from the left wing, which bounced off the rim. The Bulls’ Kevin Huerter then secured the rebound and advanced the ball up the court, passing to Matas Buzelis, who scored a three-pointer from the right corner, extending Chicago’s lead to 117-109.
“It’s a shot Tyler often makes,” said Bam Adebayo of the Heat, commenting on Herro’s attempt. “You admire his confidence when he takes those chances. From my perspective, it was one of his best looks all evening, so you accept that decision. If he made that shot, we wouldn’t be focusing on it now.”
The Heat are now on the brink of securing the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Bulls by one game with just two remaining. A potential play-in game against the Bulls in Chicago looms, as Miami had recently won seven out of nine games after suffering a 10-game losing streak.
The Heat’s schedule continues with a visit to New Orleans on Friday before closing out their regular season with a home game against Washington on Sunday. “We focus on maintaining good habits and the essential elements that lead to victory,” said Andrew Wiggins, who returned from a right hamstring injury to score 14 points. “It’s all about teamwork, quick pacing, solid defense, and maintaining a connected effort.”