MIAMI — Tyler Herro scored 27 second-half points, but it was not enough for the Heat. Miami still fell to Memphis 110-108 at the Kaseya Center on Thursday night, snapping the Heat’s six-game winning streak.
The Heat tied the game with a basket by Bam Adebayo with 2:34 left in the fourth, and Davion Mitchell drained a three with 2:01 left in the quarter to put Miami up 106-105. Jaren Jackson Jr. three pushed Memphis up by two with 1:07 left in the game, and the Herro tied the game with 13.8 seconds left.
But Morant, waiting for the final shot, sunk a last-second floater to win the game for Memphis.
Adebayo got off to the best start to a game in his career, scoring the game’s first nine points. He scored 12 points in the game’s first four minutes, but he did not score again until the final minute of the second quarter.
Adebayo’s early scoring gave the Heat a quick 9-0 lead, and the Grizzlies did not score until 9:35 in the first quarter. But Memphis battled back, taking its first lead of the game late in the first half. A free throw by Kel’el Ware put Miami back ahead to end the first half.
Miami trailed by eight midway through the third quarter, but Tyler Herro keyed a quick Heat comeback. Miami quickly evened the score up at 70 on a pair of threes by Herro and Kel’el Ware (who also had a dunk in the 8-0 run).
Five degrees of Heat from Thursday night’s game
1. Herro ball: Adebayo was Miami’s top scorer in the first half, but Herro took over the second. The sixth-year guard scored 27 of his 35 points in the second half.
Herro scored the game-tying basket with just under 14 seconds left in the game, but he did not get a chance to make a game-winner.
2. Bam Adebayo from behind the arc: Three seasons ago, Adebayo did not make a single three-pointer all year. Now he is in the longest three-point streak of his career.
Adebayo knocked down X threes on Thursday. It was the ninth straight game he has a three, which is the longest streak of his career.
3. Memphis turnovers: The Grizzlies are prone to turnovers, averaging nearly 16 per game. The Heat took advantage of that, forcing 18 and scoring 19 points off of them.
4. Duncan Robinson returns: Small forward Duncan Robinson returned from a back injury that has kept him out since March 23 on Thursday night. Robinson scored six points in 11 minutes.
“The most important thing is he feels a lot better,” Spoelstra said. “This is not what he was dealing with last year. He was able to get some really good work in, and he creates a lot of offensive triggers for us.”
5. Ware double-double: Ware’s 13th double-double of the season pushed him closer to the Heat record. He finished the game with 13 points and 15 rebounds.
Ware currently has the fourth-most double-doubles by a rookie in franchise history, trailing co-record-holders Sherman Douglas and Rony Seiklay, who both have 18. Grant Long is one ahead of Ware with 14.
