Tyler Herro delivered a little NBA magic as his clutch 19-foot jumper with just 0.5 seconds left propelled the Miami Heat to a dramatic 89-88 victory over the Orlando Magic Thursday night.
The shot, which capped a thrilling final sequence, came after a tip-in by Goga Bitadze had given the Magic a brief one-point lead with just under five seconds remaining.
Jalen Suggs, who had a stellar 29-point performance for Orlando, missed a potential game-winner at the buzzer, allowing the Heat to escape with the win.
TYLER HERRO GAME WINNER. 🔥🔥🔥
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) December 27, 2024
Herro finished the night with 20 points, leading the Heat’s comeback after falling behind by as many as 17 points early in the game.
Miami was playing without star Jimmy Butler for the third consecutive game, but Herro’s timely shot and strong play from others helped to avenge a painful loss to the Magic just five days earlier, where the Heat blew a 22-point fourth-quarter lead.
Butler, of course, has been at the center of NBA trade rumors. But it’s not distracting Miami.
Alec Burks stepped up in the final period, scoring 11 of his 17 points, while rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 15.
Despite early struggles—Miami went down 14-0 to start the game—the Heat found their rhythm with a red-hot shooting performance from beyond the arc, finishing 15 for 30 on 3-pointers, including six in the fourth quarter.
Orlando, on the other hand, faltered late, with 23 total turnovers, nine of which came in the decisive fourth quarter.
The Magic also struggled from deep, shooting just 5 for 29 on 3-pointers. With the victory, the Heat will look to build momentum as they visit Atlanta on Saturday, while the Magic will look to bounce back when they host New York on Friday.
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