Miami Heat rising star Tyler Herro helped the team defeat the Utah Jazz on Saturday by sinking a one-legged 3-pointer as time expired. Apparently, the shot also made history.
Heat guard Tyler Herro's walk-off 3-pointer last night to beat Utah marked the first time in NBA history that the league's final shot of a calendar year was a game-winning 3.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) January 1, 2023
TYLER HERRO GAME WINNER. 🚨🚨🚨🚨
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 1, 2023
Herro may not even be aware of the feat. But given his competitive fire, the 22-year-old is likely more delighted by the fact that the Heat got the win, improving their record to 19-18.
The victory also got Miami to 1-1 in the first two contests of the five-game road trip it is currently on. The squad lost a nail-biter on Friday, losing to the Denver Nuggets.
On Saturday, there was no such heartbreak thanks to Herro’s heroics. His clutch shot gave him 29 points for the night. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year also had nine rebounds and six assists.
His game-winning shot put a stop to a late rally by Utah, which had erased a seven-point deficit in the fourth quarter and tied the contest at 123-123 after three free throws by Lauri Markkanen.
Miami got a huge boost from Bam Adebayo, who poured in 32 points to lead all scorers. The one-time All-Star was aggressive and efficient from the field throughout the night, finishing 11-for-17 from the floor and 10-for-13 from the charity stripe.
In addition, Victor Oladipo had his best game of the season so far, going for 23 points, five rebounds and five assists off the bench. His breakout contest had the team celebrating in the locker room after the match.
The Heat are likely looking to sustain the momentum and complete the road trip on a high note.
It will certainly be a tall task because they will visit the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns in the following days. But if they can continue sharing the ball like they did against Utah, the Heat will have a fighting chance of coming away with wins and rising up in the Eastern Conference standings.
Fans are also hoping that Herro can continue his hot streak. In his past nine games, the guard has averaged 25.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 4.6 3-pointers per match.
