Tyler Herro erupted for 36 points as the Miami Heat defeated the Atlanta Hawks 122-112 on Thursday night, securing their third consecutive victory.
Miami (32-41) overcame a 14-point first-quarter deficit and dominated the second half to close within three games of Atlanta (35-38) for the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Davion Mitchell and Andrew Wiggins contributed 16 points each, while Bam Adebayo recorded 12 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists.
Trae Young paced the Hawks with 29 points and 12 assists, moving past Wilt Chamberlain for 85th on the NBA’s all-time assist leaderboard.
Caris LeVert added 17 points off the bench, and Onyeka Okongwu chipped in 15 points and nine rebounds, but Atlanta struggled defensively in the second half.
The win had playoff implications, as Miami’s victory officially clinched a postseason berth for the New York Knicks while eliminating the Brooklyn Nets.
Herro continued his scorching shooting streak, going 13-for-17 from the field and 4-for-6 from beyond the arc.
The Hawks started strong, jumping out to a 32-18 lead in the first quarter before the Heat closed the period on a 4-0 run.
Miami took control in the second quarter, outscoring Atlanta 38-23 behind Herro’s shot-making and improved defensive intensity.
The Heat never trailed after halftime, extending their lead to as many as 15 in the third quarter before fending off multiple Hawks comeback attempts.
Bam Adebayo anchored the defense with three steals, while Wiggins and Mitchell combined to hit six of Miami’s 18 three-pointers.
For Atlanta, Young made six threes but also committed five turnovers, while Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher combined for just 14 points on 6-of-15 shooting.
The Hawks shot 51.8% overall but were outscored 71-57 in the final three quarters as Miami’s defense tightened.
With nine games remaining, Miami remains in the hunt to improve its seeding, while Atlanta’s hold on seventh place in the East is becoming more precarious.
