Herro Returns in Style as Heat Dominate Hawks

ATLANTA (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 24 points in his return from a rib injury and the Miami Heat never trailed in a 128-97 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday night. Bam Adebayo had 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Miami, and Norman Powell added 15 points in his first game since participating in his first All-Star game. Kel’el Ware had 14 points and 12 rebounds.

Jalen Johnson had 16 points, 16 rebounds and 11 assists for Atlanta for his 11th triple-double of the season. It is the most in franchise history for a single season and leads the Eastern Conference. Onyeka Okongwu led Atlanta with 22 points. CJ McCollum had 20 points off the bench, hitting four 3-pointers.

Herro’s Return and Impact

Herro played his 12th game of the season, returning after missing the last 15 games due to a rib injury. He wore a flak jacket during the game but didn’t appear restricted, scoring 16 points in the first half. Herro has missed time this season with ankle and toe injuries as well. He expressed his frustration with being sidelined, stating his love for the game and desire to play. He said he feels as good as he did last year.

Heat’s Road Success and Upcoming Schedule

The Heat have won six of their last seven road games. They will continue their road trip by hosting Memphis on Saturday.

Hawks’ Outlook

The Hawks will host Brooklyn on Sunday.