MIAMI – Game on the line, perfect home record on the line, and the Miami Heat turned to their teenager.
Tyler Herro came through.
The rookie guard scored 27 points -- including 16 of Miami’s final 18 -- and the Heat held off the Chicago Bulls 110-105 on Sunday night. They improved to 10-0 at home this season, extending the best home start in franchise history.
“I don't shy away from taking the big shot," Herro said.
That's obvious.
The 19-year-old made three 3-pointers in overtime, plus another with 7.1 seconds left in regulation just to help Miami get into the extra session. Of his five field goals in the final 6 minutes, four of them were assisted by Jimmy Butler.
“If your max player trusts you at that point in the game - and Jimmy was looking for him - that says all you need to know," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That trust has been earned within our walls. Jimmy has seen what this kid does in those situations."
Butler scored 23 points for the Heat, going 17 for 21 from the foul line. Bam Adebayo had 21 points, 13 rebounds and six assists for Miami, which also got 18 from Kendrick Nunn.
Lauri Markkanen had 13 of his team-high 22 points in the third quarter for the Bulls, who got 18 from Zach LaVine and 16 from Kris Dunn. Markkanen missed a potentially game-tying corner 3-pointer with about 1.5 seconds left in overtime, Coby White fouled Herro on the rebound, and Miami's first-round draft pick made a pair of free throws to seal the win.
“I liked the way we fought,” Bulls coach Jim Boylen said. “I liked the way we competed. I thought we played our (butt) off."
The Bulls fell to 1-4 in games decided by five points or less.
It was tied at 97-97 after regulation, after the lead changed hands four times in the final 84 seconds.
Herro’s 3-pointer with 7.1 seconds left put Miami up 97-95, but Butler fouled LaVine on the ensuing Chicago possession. LaVine - an 81% foul shooter - made both, Butler’s 50-footer as the horn sounded merely hit the backboard, and off to overtime they went.
From there, Herro took over. He had 11 of Miami's 13 OT points; the other two were from Nunn, another rookie.
“Definitely frustrated to lose. But we played well," Dunn said. “A lot of guys played well. I thought we did the right things to put us in position to win the game. We just didn’t come up with the victory."