Tyler Herro scored 19 of his game-high 34 points in the third quarter as the host Miami Heat handed the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers a rare loss, 122-113, on Sunday night.
Cleveland (21-4) still has the best record in the NBA, but the Cavaliers had their four-game winning streak snapped.
Cavaliers star Evan Mobley – who scored 41 points against Charlotte on Saturday — did not return after reportedly suffering a sprained left ankle in the second quarter. He finished with just four points.
The Heat won their season-best third straight game to move two games over .500 for the first time (12-10).
Miami’s Jimmy Butler made the shot of the night even though it didn’t count. At the end of the first half, Butler beat the buzzer on a 55-foot heave that went in after hitting the top of the backboard and then shot clock. Officials ruled the ball out of bounds before it went through the hoop.
Butler finished with 18 points. Duncan Robinson (23 points) and Bam Adebayo (16 points, 13 rebounds) provided support for Herro, who also tallied a game-high seven assists.
Darius Garland led Cleveland with 23 points. Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell – who entered the game ranked among the top 20 in the league in scoring at 24.2 points per game – managed just 12 on 5-for-16 shooting.
Cleveland used a 10-0 run to help build a 25-21 lead after the first quarter. The Cavaliers hit 3-of-6 three in the opening frame, while Miami made just 1 of 7 from deep.
Herro scored 11 points in the second quarter as the Heat surged into halftime with a 59-51 lead. Miami made all 17 of its free-throw attempts in the first half, including six by Herro.
Robinson sandwiched two threes around a Herro triple to push the Heat ahead 68-53 two minutes into the second half. Herro drained all four of his 3-point tries in the frame to help Miami carry a 90-80 lead into the fourth quarter.
Garland’s 3-pointer trimmed Cleveland’s deficit to 100-95 with 8:28 left, but Dru Smith answered from long range to make it an eight-point game. The Cavaliers never got closer than six the rest of the way.
Cleveland entered the game leading the NBA in scoring (121.8) but tallied its fewest points since its most recent loss, a 117-101 setback in Atlanta on Nov. 29.
–Field Level Media