Tyler Herro #14 of the Miami Heat shoots against Fred VanVleet #5 of the Houston Rockets during the first half at Toyota Center on December 29, 2024 in Houston, Texas. | Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images/AFP
HOUSTON — Tyler Herro scored 27 points before being one of six people ejected after a fight in the final minute of the Miami Heat’s 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.
Herro was thrown to the ground by the Rockets’ Amen Thompson with 35 seconds left and the Heat leading 99-94. Players and coaches from both benches then came onto the court.
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Both players were thrown out along with Rockets guard Jalen Green, coach Ime Udoka and assistant coach Ben Sullivan. Terry Rozier was also ejected for Miami.
Houston led 92-85 after Fred VanVleet’s layup with 8:10 to play, but the Rockets missed their next 11 shots, allowing Miami to tie the game when Herro found Haywood Highsmith for a 3-pointer with 4:47 to play.
Herro’s jumper with 1:56 to play put the Heat on top for good.
Takeaways
Heat: Playing the second night of a back-to-back and missing Jimmy Butler for a fifth straight game, Nikola Jovic finished with 18 points, seven rebounds, and six assists for the Heat. Highsmith added 15 points.
Rockets: After blowing a 15-point, fourth-quarter lead against the Wolves, Houston struggled offensively in the fourth quarter, shooting just 6 for 24 from the field. Dillon Brooks scored 22 points after missing the last three games with a right ankle effusion.
Key moment
Jovic’s 3 with 47 seconds left put Miami up 98-94.
Key Stat
Miami outscored Houston, the NBA’s best offensive rebounding team, 15-9 in second-chance points.
Up Next
The Rockets host Dallas on Wednesday and the Heat host New Orleans on Wednesday.