Tyler Herro hit every big shot possible for the Miami Heat Tuesday night. Then their veteran coach blew the game by calling a timeout he didn't have.
What a disaster for the Heat.
— Steph Noh (@StephNoh) November 13, 2024
-Had six guys on the floor for the last possession. Barely got one guy off.
-Then they give up a lob dunk to allow the Pistons to tie.
-Spo calls a timeout he doesn't have
-Pistons make the technical FT to win the game. pic.twitter.com/cpmeJ0HDTz
After Herro hit a shot with 1.1 seconds to go in overtime, the Heat had a 121-119 lead. Then, it all fell apart.
Miami got confused before the Detroit Pistons' inbounded the ball, sending out six players. Then they gave up an alley-oop to Jalen Duren to tie the game. Finally, Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra called a timeout his team didn't have, resulting in a technical foul and a game-winning free throw from Malik Beasley.
The meltdown ruined what was an incredibly clutch effort from Herro. Besides hitting what should have been the game-winner in OT, Herro dragged the Heat to overtime with a three-point flurry late.
The Heat guard made six three-pointers in the last 6:45 of the fourth quarter, with three coming in the final 1:22 with the Heat trailing by six points.
Just an unreal 4th quarter tear pic.twitter.com/PC0cKRwKdq
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) November 13, 2024
For the fourth quarter, Herro had 18 points and two assists. He took a break from his three-point onslaught to hand out two assists, part of his eight for the game.
After the game, Spoelstra took responsibility for the timeout error that cost Miami the game.
He told reporters, "I made a serious mental error ... There’s no excuse for that. I’m 17 years in ... I made a horrendous mistake."
Spoelstra kicking himself: “I made a serious mental error. That’s on me. I feel horrible about it. There’s no excuse for that. I’m 17 years in. I knew in the huddle we didn’t have [a timeout]. I got emotional in the huddle. I made a horrendous mistake." https://t.co/z2AOnTgtCf
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) November 13, 2024
Spoelstra was so discombobulated by the error that he tried to sub in Kevin Love for a lob pass after Beasley's free throw, not realizing that his mistake also gave Detroit possession of the ball.
One spectator may have been having flashbacks watching Spoelstra's gaffe. Jalen Rose, who saw his Michigan teammate Chris Webber call a timeout their team didn't have in the NCAA final in 1993.
Jalen Rose's reaction to Spo calling a timeout he did not have is an all-timer pic.twitter.com/nMLgLI6J3V
— CJ Fogler (@cjzero) November 13, 2024
Ultimately it was a night Herro will never forget. And neither will his head coach.
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