Tyler Herro shines from deep as Heat bully Blazers

Field Level Media|published: Sun 12th January, 01:12 2025

Jan 11, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan (23) passes the ball during the first half against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Tyler Herro made seven 3-pointers and recorded 32 points, five rebounds and five assists to lead the Miami Heat to a 119-98 victory over the host Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

Nikola Jovic added season highs of 21 points and eight rebounds as the Heat won their third consecutive game, all on the road. Haywood Highsmith added 14 points and matched his career high of five steals, Bam Adebayo had 13 points, 11 boards and six assists and Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez Jr. each had 11 points for Miami.

Anfernee Simons had 28 points thanks in large part to seven 3-pointers and Shaedon Sharpe added 22 points for Portland, which lost for the fifth time in seven games. Deni Avdija added 15 points and 12 rebounds, and Kris Murray had 10 points.

Saturday's game was the fifth of Jimmy Butler's seven-game suspension from the Heat for "conduct detrimental to the team."

Miami connected on 47.8 percent of its shots from the floor and was 19-for-44 from 3-point range.

The Trail Blazers made 37.9 percent of their attempts overall, including 13 of 45 from behind the arc.

Portland trailed by 18 at halftime but started the third quarter with a 16-2 run to move within four.

Portland later trailed 70-67 after a 3-pointer by Simons with 6:59 left in the third, but Miami got the lead back to 10 on Herro's 3-pointer with 2:35 left. The Heat led 94-83 entering the final stanza.

Highsmith's dunk pushed Miami's lead to 17, 100-83, with 9:45 remaining in the game. However, the Trail Blazers rattled off the next 10 points to move within seven.

Herro then answered with a 3-pointer and Adebayo added a dunk, giving Miami a 105-93 lead with 3:59 to go. Portland's Donovan Clingan was later called for a flagrant 1 foul, and Herro sank all three ensuing free throws to extend the lead to 15.

Jaquez added a layup to cap a 10-0 spurt as the Heat took a 110-93 lead with 3:16 remaining and cruised to the finish.

Herro scored 18 first-half points, and the Heat led 66-48 at the break. Avdija scored 13 points in the half for Portland.

Highsmith had nine points in the opening quarter to help Miami grab a 29-23 lead. He later drained a 3-pointer to give the Heat a 57-42 advantage with 3:05 left in the first half.

Herro later buried consecutive treys to push the lead to 20 in the final minute of the half.

--Field Level Media