Tyler Herro’s 40-point performance wasn’t enough as the Miami Heat fell to the Detroit Pistons 123-121 in a dramatic overtime finish on Tuesday night.
The Pistons seized the win in their NBA Cup opener after a technical foul against Miami with just over one second left handed Malik Beasley the decisive free throws.
The Heat had taken a 121-119 lead when Herro sank a jumper with 1.8 seconds remaining, putting Miami in a strong position. However, Detroit responded with a perfectly executed alley-oop from Cade Cunningham to Jalen Duren, tying the game at 121.
In a critical misstep, Miami attempted to call a timeout, but with none remaining, the Heat were assessed a technical foul. Beasley then stepped up, hitting a tiebreaking free throw, and added one more for insurance to finalize the win.
Cunningham and Beasley each scored 21 points for Detroit, which improved to 5-7 and ended its losing streak in NBA Cup games after going winless last season. Cunningham was instrumental in facilitating Detroit’s offense, adding nine assists to his tally, while Beasley’s clutch shooting was key in overtime.
Herro’s standout performance for Miami included 20 points scored across the fourth quarter and overtime. The guard went 10-for-17 from beyond the arc, helping the Heat claw back after trailing by as many as 18 points.
Despite Herro’s offensive efforts, Miami dropped to 4-6, and the team struggled to regain control after the crucial technical foul.
The game saw further setbacks for Miami, as forward Nikola Jovic exited early in the first quarter with a broken nose following a collision with Beasley. The incident left Jovic bleeding and limited Miami’s options inside.
Bam Adebayo added a solid 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat, but even with Herro’s and Adebayo’s contributions, the Heat couldn’t secure the win.
The game also had a lengthy delay after a third-quarter injury to Detroit’s Hardaway Jr., who sustained a head injury in a collision with Herro and Duren. Hardaway, who had contributed 11 points, was taken off the court in a wheelchair following medical attention, adding a somber note to the heated contest.
Despite Miami’s late lead, Detroit’s coordinated play secured the win, with Cunningham’s assist to Duren marking a highlight in Detroit’s balanced approach.
Stewart, who finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Ivey, who added 19 points and nine rebounds, were critical in the Pistons’ collective effort.
