The Miami Heat secured a hard-fought 98-94 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night, with standout performances from Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson. Herro led the Heat with 27 points, including a clutch three-pointer in the final moments, while Robinson added 22 points, knocking down six shots from beyond the arc.
Coming off a narrow 106-103 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in an NBA Cup game the night before, Miami was eager to rebound. Bam Adebayo contributed across the board with 10 rebounds and 10 assists, anchoring the team defensively and facilitating the offense.
The Heat built a commanding 20-point lead early, but the Hornets stormed back behind LaMelo Ball and rookie Tidjane Salaun. Ball tallied 32 points and 10 rebounds, continuing his recent scoring spree despite dealing with a right wrist injury. Salaun had a breakout performance, scoring a career-high 17 points, including a go-ahead corner three-pointer with just 42 seconds left in the game.
The Hornets’ late surge gave them a brief lead, but Herro responded immediately with a critical three-pointer to put the Heat back on top. Moments later, Herro stole the ball from Ball, setting the stage for Miami to seal the win. Although Herro split a pair of free throws, the Heat’s defense held strong in the closing moments.
Charlotte‘s Cody Martin had an opportunity to tie or win the game after being fouled with six seconds remaining but missed both free throws. Miami rookie Kel’el Ware then iced the game with two free throws.
The Heat’s victory came at a cost, as Jimmy Butler exited in the third quarter with a tight back and did not return. His status will be closely monitored as the Heat prepare for their next game.
Duncan Robinson’s hot start ignited the Heat, as he scored 13 of their first 17 points, Herro’s late-game poise highlighted his growth as a closer.
Despite his impressive scoring line, Ball’s shooting woes (11 of 35 from the field) and seven turnovers underscored his struggles, possibly exacerbated by his wrist injury, Salaun’s confidence in crunch time provided a bright spot for Charlotte, offering hope for their future lineup.
Miami limited Charlotte to 43.5% shooting from the field, The Hornets committed 17 turnovers, which Miami converted into 18 points.
The Heat will host the Toronto Raptors on Friday as they aim to build on this momentum. Meanwhile, the Hornets face another tough matchup at home against the New York Knicks, hoping to snap their recent skid.
