Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson lead the Heat over the Hawks

Jimmy Butler missed his second straight game (sixth total), but Jaime Jaquez Jr. got the start, and the Heat downed the visiting Hawks with 122 points on 43.6% shooting from long range. Tyler Herro scored from everywhere, and Duncan Robinson carried Miami toward the finish line.

Early, Herro erupted for 14 points, easily blowing by Trae Young and then Clint Capela as the help shot blocker for a deuce. He also torched drop coverage and swished jumpers at the top of the key and corner.

Yet the protection was feeble, allowing Dejounte Murray and Young to combine for seven of eight tries through 12 minutes, dusting point-of-attack defenders and hurting the Heat’s drop. Multiple looks were deployed to stop Young, but no one could stay in front of him when he dribbled to the hole.

In the second quarter, JJJ channeled Butler on a catch-and-shoot jumper, a post-spin past Bogdan Bogdanović, plus a turnaround hook and layup over Capela. Center Bam Adebayo supplied three paint scores and covered multiple Hawks on each possession.

Defensively, the Heat were dreadful, permitting the Hawks to log 50% from the field and 40% from deep through two periods. The latter could have been much worse because Miami was late to contest some corner shots that missed.

At intermission, the Heat led 62-60, with 26 points scored in the box, eight off turnovers, seven via second chances and two on the break. Herro and Jaquez were in charge of Miami with 31 combined points on 12 of 18 ventures.

Next, the turd quarter returned as the hosts converted a meager six shots and committed six turnovers. Here, Herro and Adebayo made 25% of their shots. The only success the Heat had on offense was slowing down the match by getting to the line for 12 freebies. On defense, it shut down the scorching Bogdanović, who had 20 points in the first half, to a single make in six bids by sending the low man at his drive and contesting his jumpers.

In the fourth, Adebayo failed four more attempts, and Young had a flurry late, but Robinson took over. He feasted, canning two trifectas, a lane floater, a putback on the break after JJJ’s miss and a cut through the middle for a layup. Herro added nine points on 60% shooting.

The Heat won 122-113, recovering 52.4% of rebounds and allowing only 40 points in the paint. Herro and Robinson combined their scorecards for 57 points on 19 of 32 made baskets. Notably, the halfcourt offense scored 118 points per 100 plays in the set, good enough for the 93rd percentile of all games this season. In the last two quarters, Miami contained Atlanta to prosperity on 38.5% of its field goal efforts.

Herro assisted with Bally Sports’ on-court interview, saying his “twin,” Robinson, opened up the offense with precision and movement. “He made it easy on me. [Robinson] is the man.”

At the press conference, Young referenced Butler’s absence. “It really doesn’t matter who is in for [the Heat]” because the players move off the ball.

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