Despite the odds currently stacked against them, the Miami Heat are zeroed in on making an unlikely run to the postseason.
The team is holding on to their spot in the play-in tournament despite trading Jimmy Butler to the Warriors, winning a couple of trades since sending the temperamental star to the Bay Area. Tyler Herro deserves much of the credit for Miami’s current position on the Eastern Conference standings.
While they’re managing to remain competitive in the East, it’s also clear that they’re not as good as the teams that made the FInals in 2020 and 2023. One of the biggest knocks on the team is their inability to finish games in which they have double-digit leads.
Herro addressed the issue at hand in a recent presser.
Tyler Herro reacts to the Miami Heat’s struggles to see games out
Their game against the Chicago Bulls is a great example of how terrible the Heat has been as of late.
They were up by eleven points coming into the fourth quarter, with Herro and the rest of the Miami starters putting up big numbers. However, a 36-20 fourth quarter saw the game finish in a disappointing 114-109 loss.
The press asked Herro what is happening during the final frame and what the team needs to do to address the issue. He reveals that he doesn’t have a clear answer on how they can stop this tendency.
Per Heavy Sports’ Adam Taylor:
“S***, if we knew we would do it, not really sure how to get over the hurdle right now but just continuing to stick with it,” Herro said.
Herro didn’t have a bad game against the Bulls, finishing with 21 points, eight boards, six assists, and two blocks. However, the team struggled to contain Chicago’s starting lineup, who all scored in double digits to finish the contest.
The issue reared its ugly head again in their most recent game against the Hornets. The Heat were up 73-77 in the fourth, but an explosive 32-point barrage from the visiting Hornets saw them lose another winnable game.
It wouldn’t be strange to see Miami crash out of the play-in tournament if they fail to address their defense in the fourth quarter. With not much left in the season, it’s hard to predict how Erik Spoelstra will fix their issues.
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