The Miami Heat are one win away from the NBA Playoffs — and if Wednesday night is any indication, they may be peaking at just the right time.
Tyler Herro erupted for 38 points as the 10th-seeded Heat blew past the 9th-seeded Chicago Bulls, 109-90, in the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament. With the victory, Miami advances to face the 8th-seeded Atlanta Hawks on Friday night for the final playoff spot and a date with top-seeded Cleveland in the first round.
From the jump, it was all Heat — and all Herro. The sharp-shooting guard caught fire early, making his first eight shots and scoring 23 of his 38 in a blistering first half that saw Miami take a commanding 71-47 lead. Herro finished 13-of-19 from the field, showcasing the kind of confidence and aggression Miami has been missing for stretches this season.
“We came out with purpose tonight,” Herro said postgame. “We know what’s at stake. We’re not done yet.”
While Herro led the charge, he had plenty of help. Andrew Wiggins poured in 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds, continuing to thrive in his new role since arriving in the midseason trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Golden State. Bam Adebayo posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 boards, while Davion Mitchell added 15 points and nine assists in a steady floor general performance.
Miami’s defense also came to play, forcing 10 steals and swatting seven shots. The Heat’s intensity on both ends overwhelmed a Bulls team that had swept them during the regular season.
Josh Giddey led Chicago with 25 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. Coby White struggled to find his rhythm, finishing with 17 points on just 5-of-20 shooting, while Nikola Vucevic added 16 points and 12 rebounds. The Bulls cut the deficit to 13 early in the fourth quarter, but Miami quickly shut the door, holding them scoreless for a key stretch down the stretch.
This marks the third consecutive year the Heat have eliminated the Bulls in the Play-In Tournament — a bitter pill for a Chicago team that has now missed the playoffs three years in a row.
For Miami, the win caps off a turbulent season that saw them trade franchise cornerstone Jimmy Butler in February amid reported internal tensions. A 10-game losing skid in March threatened to derail their season entirely, but the Heat rebounded by winning eight of their final 12 to claw into the 10th spot at 37-45.
Now, just one hurdle remains: a trip to Atlanta on Friday night. The Hawks, who lost to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, will host Miami with the final Eastern Conference playoff berth on the line.
“They counted us out,” Herro said. “But we’re still here. One more win — that’s the mindset.”
And if Herro and the Heat continue to play like they did Wednesday, they might not be done making noise just yet.
