NBA: The Heat make the Jazz face the music

Salt Lake City, Utah - The Miami Heat have earned themselves a big win after surviving a close game against the Utah Jazz on the road.

Heat forward Duncan Robinson scored 22 points on Saturday night.
Heat forward Duncan Robinson scored 22 points on Saturday night.  © IMAGO/ZUMA Wire

The Heat beat the Jazz 111-106 on Saturday night to snap their three-game losing streak – while sending Utah on a two-game skid of their own in the process.

Miami jumped out early to a 16-point lead in the first quarter, but Utah managed to close the gap to only three going into the second quarter.

The Heat continued on to go into the half with a 58-48 lead over the Jazz.

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Miami kept the heat on in the third quarter, leaving Utah facing a 26-point hole going into the fourth.

The game wasn’t over yet, as the Jazz fought back to get within four in the game’s final seconds.

But a pair of free throws by the Heat ended up sealing the win and giving the Jazz their second-straight loss in front of their fans at home.

The player spotlight

Heat guard Tyler Herro scored a game-high 27 points against the Jazz on Saturday night.
Heat guard Tyler Herro scored a game-high 27 points against the Jazz on Saturday night.  © IMAGO/Agencia EFE

Second-year point guard Tyler Herro (21) came through for the Heat, helping them finally get a win in the fourth of a five-game road trip.

He’s the second-leading scorer on the team with 21.5 points per game, behind teammate Jimmy Butler.

However, Herro played the hardest on Saturday, outscoring every player on the court despite only making one of his seven three-point attempts.

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He finished the night 10-for-23, 27 points, and eight rebounds.

The big picture

Last year's Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and his Jazz have now lost four of their last five games so far this season.
Last year's Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert and his Jazz have now lost four of their last five games so far this season.  © imago/Icon SMI

The Jazz have now lost their last four out of five games. It's not a position they imagined they would be in – at least not this soon in the NBA season.

Before they risk falling into a worse slump, they can relax for a couple of days before their next game on Tuesday. It's followed by seven games left in November against six teams that don’t have winning records, so the Jazz has a good shot to win big.

On Monday, the Heat stay on the road to face the Thunder, while the Jazz are back at home on Tuesday to host the Sixers.

Cover photo: IMAGO/Agencia EFE

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