Final play disaster for Miami leads to another heartbreak

The Miami Heat (3-4) fell behind the Phoenix Suns (7-1) 115-112 on Wednesday night for their second straight heartbreaking loss.

Here's a look at four key takeaways from the matchup:

1. The Suns played a flawless possession to end the game

The Heat had just under five seconds left on the clock and trailed by three points. Jimmy Butler passed the ball to Terry Rozier, who was immediately double-teamed by Royce O'Neale and Devin Booker. This forced Rozier's pass back to Butler, who was sailing inside the three-point line, meaning he was forced to back off the dribble. With one second left, he began his shooting motion, but had to turn to pass to Tyler Herro due to the airborne defender in front of him. After Herro caught the ball, time ran out and they no longer had a decisive shot.

2. Herro is developing into an All-Star player.

The consistency of his shot was probably Herro's biggest flaw last season. Now it turns into a strength. Herro never shied away from open looks, or to put it another way: aggression wasn't the problem. The former Sixth Man of the Year scored more than 20 points through efficient shooting in four of the Heat's last six games. He finished with 28 points, six assists and three rebounds on 9 of 15 shooting against the Suns.

3. Butler and Bam Adebayo's scoring woes continue.

Speaking of consistency: both stars struggle to maintain it. Butler has only had a few games with a point total in the teens (15, 18, etc.), while Adebayo has only scored more than 20 points once this season. For the Heat to be truly competitive in the Eastern Conference, Butler and Adebayo will each need to average over 20 points.

4. Haywood Highsmith shone with an increased chance.

On a night where striker Nikola Jovic strangely only played five minutes, the lockdown winger was given the chance to thrive. And he did, scoring 19 points, seven rebounds and two steals on 7 of 8 shooting. With performances of this magnitude, it shouldn't be a surprise if coach Erik Spoelstra starts adjusting the rotation.

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Anthony Pasciolla is a writer for Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at [email protected] or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.