Tyler Herro Scores 27 Points, Heat Hold Off Jazz 111-105
MIAMI (AP) - Tyler Herro had 27 points and eight rebounds to help the Miami Heat beat the Utah Jazz 111-105 on Saturday.
Duncan Robinson made six 3-pointers and added a season-high 22 points. Kyle Lowry had 21. Miami swept the season series with the Jazz and snapped a three-game losing streak.
"We were physically and mentally ready to go into this game," Lowry said. "We lost three games on this road trip — two of them we had an opportunity to really win. We just got to continue to build and today was a good building block for us."
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 26 points –19 coming in the fourth quarter – to lead Utah. Jordan Clarkson added 25 points, and Donovan Mitchell had 22.
The Jazz lost for the fourth time in five games.
"I wouldn't say we're out here panicking, but I think it's upsetting," Mitchell said. "I think that'll be the word I use. It's upsetting because we know each other, we know what we're doing. And it's just time for us to go out there and do it."
Utah used a 18-0 run to rally from a 22-point deficit in the final minutes. Bogdanovic made a layup to finish off the run and cut Miami's lead to 109-105 with 14.5 seconds left. Herro made a pair of free throws with 10.9 seconds remaining to seal it.
The Jazz scored on five straight possessions over a two-minute stretch to give themselves a chance.
"We just have to continue to get better in these situations," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Defensively we were just really poor in those last six minutes, just trying to hold on. Three straight stops during those six minutes at any point - three straight - would have closed the game. But we just continued to allow them to score and get open air space."
Robinson and Bam Adebayo ignited the Heat's offense in the first quarter. Robinson made three 3-pointers and Adebayo bookended a 21-2 run with four free throws and a dunk to help Miami surge to a 23-7 lead.
Clarkson brought Utah back into the game by himself. He scored 11 straight points in just 1:16 — starting with back-to-back 3-pointers — and trimmed Miami's lead to 27-24 going into the second quarter.
The Heat made another big run to open the second quarter and extend their lead again. Robinson scored back-to-back baskets to cap a 16-3 run that put Miami up 43-27 with 8:17 left before halftime.
Enduring those consecutive slow starts kept the Jazz from truly threatening the Heat for much of the game.
"It's a mindset that we have to we have to find right now," Jazz guard Mike Conley said. "We haven't had it the last week or so, where the sense of urgency is there from the beginning, not when we're down 20, not when things are not looking good."
Utah cut the deficit to seven twice before halftime but drew no closer until the final minute. Miami led by as many as 27 points in the second half, going up 93-66 on a step back jumper from Herro with a minute left in the quarter.
TIP INS
Heat: Jimmy Butler (right ankle sprain) missed his second straight game and Markieff Morris (whiplash) was sidelined for a third game in a row. … Adebayo dished out a season high seven assists to go with seven rebounds and 13 points. He has averaged 6.5 assists in two games against the Jazz this season.
Jazz: Bogdanovic made a season-high six 3-pointers, the first time he made more than two outside baskets in a game this season. … Mitchell had five steals, matching his career high. … The Jazz were outrebounded 13-12 on the offensive glass but finished with a 16-9 edge in second chance points.
FINDING HIS RYTHMN
After going just 5 of 24 from long distance over back-to-back losses against the Lakers and the Clippers earlier in the week, Robinson broke out of his shooting slump at a helpful time for the Heat. He went 6-of-11 on the perimeter – recording his second best 3-point shooting percentage in a game this season.
Robinson said his teammates encouraged him to be aggressive and he came into Saturday's game with a mindset of letting the shots fly.
"There's never been a wavering in confidence in my ability," Robinson said. "It's not like I forgot how to shoot. It's going to come back around, and we should expect more of this for sure."
HEAD SHOT
Lowry exited the game about five minutes into the first quarter after taking an elbow to the face while drawing a charge from Mitchell. The veteran point guard was a bit wobbly when he went to the Heat locker room. Lowry returned with 1:27 remaining in the quarter and ended up playing 35 minutes.
He showed no visible concussion symptoms during the game or after it ended.
"It was a basketball play," Lowry said. "I got down and it took a second to get my train of thought back."
UP NEXT
Heat: At Oklahoma City on Monday night.
Jazz: Host Philadelphia on Tuesday night.
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