Antetokounmpo records triple-double as Heat rout 11-man Pacers
Miami outscored Indiana 67-46 in the second half to extend its winning streak to two games.
By Katherine Brooks ·
The Miami Heat defeated the Indiana Pacers 145-125 on Friday night to open their NBA Cup campaign.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 31 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, and dished out 10 assists in 31 minutes. His performance marked the second triple-double of his season. Bam Adebayo contributed 27 points on 11 of 14 shooting for Miami.
Klay Thompson finished with 25 points and seven three-pointers. That output puts him within 55 makes of Ray Allen for the third-most career threes in NBA history. Pelle Larsson added 18 points, and Davion Mitchell recorded 15 points and 11 assists.
Indiana relied on Quenton Jackson for 24 points and Andrew Nembhard for 22. Jarace Walker scored 14, while Pascal Siakam and Jay Huff each added 13. The Pacers started strong with 42 first-quarter points but managed only 46 in the subsequent two quarters.
The visitors fielded just 11 players. Tyrese Haliburton is out for at least two weeks with a hamstring strain, and Obi Toppin exited before Friday practice with a back injury. Lloyd Pierce served as acting coach while Rick Carlisle attended his father's funeral in Ogdensburg, New York.
The result leaves the Pacers with a difficult path toward the knockout round. Teams typically need a 3-1 or better start in the four-game group stage to advance. Indiana hosts Brooklyn on Sunday, and Miami visits the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday.
Source: WFOR-TV
