Tyler Herro scores 24 points, leads Heat Wizards 121-114 in tournament opener
Tyler Herro scored 24 points and made a triple-double as the Miami Heat ended a four-game slump by defeating the Washington Wizards 121-114.
MIAMI (AP) — A new stadium, new uniforms and the Miami Heat hope for a fresh start.
Tyler Herro scored 24 points and made a triple-double, and Jimmy Butler added 20 points, as the Heat snapped a four-game deficit by defeating the Washington Wizards 121-114 on Friday night.
Herro finished with 10 rebounds and nine assists for Miami. Bam Adebayo and Duncan Robinson each scored 18 goals for the Heat, who shot 60 percent.
“We have a long way to go,” Hiro said.
This was the first tournament game of the season for both teams. The Heat — whose freshly painted red arena and “Heat Culture” jerseys — won the Wizards in the Eastern Conference B along with Milwaukee, New York and Charlotte. The Bucks defeated the Knicks 110-105 in the other East B game on Friday night.
The Wizards next play the championship game on November 10 at home against Charlotte. Miami’s next tournament game is November 14 in Charlotte.
Kyle Kuzma scored 22 points for Washington, which got 19 from Jordan Poole and 14 from Deni Avdia.
“I think we need to play better and harder for sure,” Kuzma said. “I think we all need to be better.”
The Wizards missed their first shot, then made their next 10 as part of a statistically impressive opening quarter.
Washington shot 76.5% in the quarter, the best rate in the NBA this season, the best first quarter for the Wizards in the last 295 games (since Dec. 16, 2019) and the highest the Heat has allowed in the opening period since their NBA Finals game against San Antonio. On June 10, 2014 – 814 games ago, including playoffs.
Most of that early flurry by the Wizards has come against Miami’s starting five in the last five games. This was only the third time in Heat history that they used five different lineups in the first six games of a season. This also happened in the 1994–95 season and again in the 2020–21 season, with the lineup changing in all six matches that season. Haywood Highsmith started strongly in attack, although Kevin Love – who did not play – was available.
“Kevin brings a lot from a spirit, communication and leadership standpoint,” said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who struggled with the decision not to play Love. “This is just a step for now.”
But whatever the Wizards did early didn’t give Washington the lead 12 minutes later: The score was 34-34 at the end of the first quarter, and Miami eventually took a 10-point lead before settling for a 60-54 lead at the end. half.
Then in the third, the Heat took control: Miami outscored Washington 41-27, taking a 101-81 lead into the fourth. The Heat led by 25 points midway through the fourth before Washington – using mostly its backups – went on a 25-0 run to get as close as 115-105.
The Wizards have allowed at least 31 points in all five third quarters this season.
“We’re allowing teams all those big runs in the third period,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “We’ve got to figure it out. Give them credit. They came out ready to go in the third quarter.”
The Wizards lost despite shooting 57%.
“The offense is definitely good tonight,” Butler said. “Defense, not as much.”
the next
Wizards: At Philadelphia on Monday night.
Heat: Host the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday night.
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