Heat vs. Hornets Takeaways: Tyler Herro Saves Heat From Embarrassment

Bryan Townes | 3 Hours Ago

Nov 27, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images / Sam Sharpe-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat (8-8) get a much-needed 98-94 victory against the Charlotte Hornets (6-12) before a difficult stretch of games.

Here’s a look at four major takeaways from the matchup:

1. Duncan Robinson is a massive addition to the starting unit.

Whether Robinson is hitting shots or cutting to the basket, he continues to display his value. He finished with 22 points, three rebounds, and one assist on 58.3 percent shooting and 66.7 percent from three-point range. Even more impressive was Robinson's 13 points in the first quarter. Without his hot shooting from the perimeter, it is hard to see how the Heat could have won this game.

2. Tyler Herro saved the day.

Despite having a 20-point lead, the Heat’s offense dried up in the fourth quarter, and the lead vanished. Thanks to Herro, this was not a loss. He finished with 27 points, eight rebounds, and five assists on 50 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from three-point range. Their scoring in this quarter mostly came from him because nobody else was converting on their shots or layups. Herro’s two biggest plays came from a huge three-point shot under two minutes left, which gave the Heat the lead back. The other was a huge steal on the defensive end, which resulted in free-throw attempts.

3. Jimmy Butler injured his back.

With Kevin Love already missing the game with a back injury, Butler also dealing with one serious enough for him not to return while the Heat were struggling in the fourth quarter is not a good sign. He finished with six points, four rebounds, and three assists on 100 percent shooting because he only attempted two shots from three-point range. The back issue may have been something he was dealing with earlier in the game because he did not attempt a shot until 4:05 left in the second quarter. The Heat may need him against the Toronto Raptors because those games are must-win before their difficult stretch afterward.

4. Bam Adebayo struggled to score again.

Adebayo cannot put together a stretch of games where he resembles anything he has been for the Heat in previous seasons. He finished with eight points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists on 37.5 percent shooting and missed both of his three-point shots. Even with Butler not returning for most of the second half, Adebayo could not step up to help Herro lead the Heat to a win. With the team approaching 20 games into the season, Adebayo has undoubtedly been disappointing relative to how high his expectations were coming into the year.

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook.