MIAMI _ The play became routine in the final minutes Sunday. Jimmy Butler initiated offense for the Miami Heat, like he so often does, and Tyler Herro hunted out a patch of open space on the perimeter.
The duo ran the action once right at the end of regulation, with Herro setting a screen to free up Butler and Butler finding Herro for a catch-and-shoot three-pointer with 7.1 seconds to go to guarantee overtime. They kept running it in the extra period, the final time out a scramble situation, which ended with Butler finding Herro for another three. It gave the Heat a three-point lead with 38.2 seconds left and it was the cushion Miami needed to beat the Chicago Bulls, 1110-105, at AmericanAirlines Arena.
Herro didn't score at all in the third quarter. He didn't score at all in the first quarter. He did, however, score nine in the second to lift the Heat out of an early 11-point hole, and then he erupted for 18 combined points in the fourth quarter and overtime to keep Miami (17-6) perfect at home.
Herro finished with 27 points on 10-of-22 shooting. The rookie wing went 5 of 11 from three-point range and three of those were three of the biggest shots of the game. His three with 7.1 seconds left put the Heat up 97-95 and let Miami withstand a pair of free throws by guard Zach LaVine to get to overtime. The Bulls (8-16) immediately jumped out to a lead in overtime before Herro hit another three off an assist by Butler to tie the game at 102-102 with 2:52 to go. With 38.2 seconds left, he hit the game-winning shot to keep the Heat unbeaten against teams with losing records.
Miami needed every drop of his offensive energy Sunday. The Heat shot just 41.6% from the field and 31.4% from three-point range. Butler went just 3 of 14 from the field, although he still scored 23 because of 21 free-throw attempts. Post player Bam Adebayo committed a career-worst seven turnovers to mire a 21-point performance. Point guards Goran Dragic and Justise Winslow both sat out because of injuries.
None of it mattered because Herro, 19, was perfect when Miami needed him to be.
