Heat's Tyler Herro gives 'simple' reason for bonkers 3-point backfire vs. Bulls (2025)

As the Miami Heat prepare for the postseason, the team's play-in tournament standing has possibly been revealed coming off the 119-111 loss to the Chicago Bulls. While Heat star Tyler Herro has improved drastically this season, there would be a moment in the game that has fans scratching their heads.

Miami controlled the game to start, but as the game went on, Chicago took control of the pace and led by as much as 14 points in the third quarter. However, the Heat would make a run and cut their deficit down to five with under a minute left in the final frame when Herro got a clutch steal on Coby White and while he had an open lane to get a lay-up, he instead opted for the open three-point shot and missed.

What made the segment worse on top of missing the shot was the Bulls on the very next possession would result in Matas Buzelis hitting a three, pretty much sealing the game. Herro would say to the media that his reasoning was “simple,” it's the shot he was “feeling” as he also acknowledged he should have taken the easy two points.

“I was feeling that shot. It’s as simple as that,” Herro said via video by the team. “It’s the shot I was feeling. Looking back at it now, obviously, after missing the shot, I should have laid the ball up. I believe I can make that shot and I believe in myself. [I'm going to] live and die by that.”

Heat's Erik Spoelstra speaks on Tyler Herro's fearlessness

The first-time All-Star in Herro led the Heat with 30 points on 13 for 26 shooting from the field which included two of seven from three-point range as one of the makes happened right before the mistake. Still, some could find it understandable that he would attempt to energize the team for a comeback as he made a three-pointer on the last possession.

At any rate, Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra would speak on Herro's “fearlessness” and his “coachability” while also expressing how that possession wasn't a “kill opportunity.”

“What I’ll say is Tyler has a fearlessness that you can’t take for granted,” Spoelstra said via Naveen Ganglani. “He’s hit so many big shots. He wants to take on anything to help you win and he’s had a lot of big plays offensively, especially in fourth quarters, in his time with us. And it’s my job now to also coach him in situational basketball. It was still a two-possession game and regardless, we were going to have to get a stop.”

“And it was set up to be probably a decent two-for-one opportunity,” Spoelstra continued. “But he's got a kill mentality, that wasn't a kill opportunity at that point, and that's why I love Tyler for his fearlessness. I also love him for his coachability. And it's my responsibility as head coach to coach him through situations like this.”

Heat's Bam Adebayo on Tyler Herro's “killer mentality”

After the Heat didn't have Bam Adebayo for the last game, he returned from back spasms and had 18 points and six rebounds where he defended his long-time teammate after the game, saying he has a “killer mentality.”

“Hey, man, that kid has made a lot of tough buckets in his career,” Adebayo said via the team. “So, you know, you tip your hat off when you shoot stuff like that. You know, that's a killer mentality for him. You know, to me, that's one of the best looks he's got all night. So, man, you live with that, because 100% y'all wouldn't be talking about it if he made it. So, you know, we always want to talk about when guys miss, but the guy was 50% from the field. You got to live with those.”

At any rate, Miami is now 36-44 which puts them 10th in the East with two games left as the team next faces the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday.