MIAMI, Dec 9 — Tyler Herro scored 27 points, including a go-ahead 3-pointer with 38.2 seconds remaining in overtime, and Bam Adebayo netted a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds as the Miami Heat continued the best home start in franchise history with a 110-105 overtime victory against the visiting Chicago Bulls last night.
Miami improved to 10-0 at American Airlines Arena this season. The Heat trailed 92-89 with 2:32 to go but pulled ahead behind a strong showing from the free-throw line. Miami went 35-for-44 from the line, with Jimmy Butler contributing 17 of those makes en route to 23 points.
Herro swished five treys. His final one gave the Heat a 108-105 lead and came after Miami corralled a pair of offensive rebounds. The rookie drained a go-ahead 3-pointer with 7. 1 seconds left in regulation to put Miami ahead 97-95. Zach LaVine, who lost the handle on a driving layup attempt with 15.4 seconds remaining to set up Herro’s heroics, hit a pair of free throws with 2.8 seconds to go to force overtime.
Lauri Markkanen scored 22 points to lead six Bulls players in double figures. LaVine had 18 points, Kris Dunn scored a season-high 16, and Thaddeus Young (12), Coby White (11) and Denzel Valentine (11) followed.
Wendell Carter Jr. snagged a team-high 10 rebounds for the Bulls. White dished a game-high eight assists.
Kendrick Nunn added 18 points for Miami, while Butler (seven) and Adebayo (six) paced the team in assists.
Duncan Robinson swished a 3 with 7:36 left in the third quarter to put Miami ahead 59-57, and the back-and-forth endured the rest of the way. The Heat led 74-73 after three quarters, but the Bulls held a four-point edge as late as the 7:49 mark of the fourth.
Miami struggled to its lowest first-quarter scoring output of the season, trailing the Bulls 25-16 after 12 minutes. Chicago started on a 47.6 per cent shooting tear while drilling three of its eight attempts from 3-point range. The Heat shot just 26.7 per cent and committed five turnovers compared to zero for the Bulls.
Chicago led by as many as 11 points in the second quarter, but an 8-0 Miami run helped the Heat get back in the game. Chicago took a 49-47 lead into the break behind 17-for-38 (44.7 per cent) shooting, while Miami shot 15-for-38 (39.5 per cent) in the first half. — Reuters
