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Miami Heat Beat Pacers 145-125 as Giannis Triple-Double and Klay Thompson Spark NBA Cup Opener
Miami Heat beat Pacers 145-125 at Kaseya Center on Friday night, opening NBA Cup play with a second straight win and the most complete offensive performance of a young season that began with four losses. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists, Bam Adebayo scored 27 and Klay Thompson hit seven 3-pointers as the Heat moved to 2-4.
The Heat were still working through a slow start, but this was the clearest sign yet that the Giannis-Bam pairing can function. For the latest Miami Heat news and updates, keep reading for the numbers, the turning points and what comes next.
Miami Heat Beat Pacers: The Key Numbers
Miami shot 54-of-93 from the floor (58.1%), made 18 of 40 3-pointers and handed out 38 assists, according to the CBS Sports box score. The Heat committed 16 turnovers, but they outscored Indiana 67-46 across the middle two quarters to turn a 42-36 first-quarter deficit into a comfortable win.
Antetokounmpo needed only 31 minutes to record his second triple-double of the season, finishing 13-of-19 from the field with a game-best +31. He already had 17 points on 7-of-8 shooting and 10 rebounds at halftime, and he spent much of the night attacking the glass and following his own misses.
Adebayo was the other half of the interior story. He made 11 of 14 shots for 27 points and nine rebounds, a sharp turnaround from the previous Monday, when he scored eight points on 3-of-10 shooting in a 113-109 loss to Dallas, as reported by the Sun Sentinel.
Davion Mitchell added 15 points and 11 assists, and Pelle Larsson gave the bench a lift with 18 points on a perfect 5-of-5 from the field. You can find the full line in the official NBA.com box score.
Klay Thompson Turns the Game in the Third Quarter
Indiana led the 3-point battle 33-15 at halftime. Then Thompson took over. After going 2-of-5 from deep in the first half, he made five 3-pointers in the third quarter and finished 7-of-12 from beyond the arc for 25 points, his best game since joining Miami. Before Friday, he had not made more than four 3-pointers in a game this season and was 12-of-37 from deep.
The Heat extended their lead to 23 in the period and carried a 103-88 advantage into the fourth. Thompson is also now within 55 3-pointers of Ray Allen (2,973) for third place on the NBA career list, per the Associated Press.
Coach Erik Spoelstra described Thompson as "the definition of ignitable," and said his gravity gives the offense an "exponential-possibility factor." Thompson said afterward he was pleased with his patience and did not force bad looks.
How the Heat Won: Defense Created the Offense
Miami turned the game with a 16-0 run in the second quarter after committing seven first-quarter turnovers that led to 16 Indiana points. The Heat led 68-61 at the half. From there, disruption fed transition and ball movement, which Antetokounmpo identified as the key: "We were disruptive at times today. So that's how the game becomes easier for us."
That connects to the goal laid out in our earlier look at the Heat defense and its target of a top-tier ranking. Miami's offense looks most natural when stops turn into early shots, rather than when it has to execute in a stalled half court.
Context: Indiana Was Short-Handed
Any honest Miami Heat game recap has to include the opponent's situation. The Pacers had only 11 available players. Tyrese Haliburton (hamstring), Obi Toppin (back), Ben Sheppard (knee), Johnny Furphy (knee), T.J. McConnell (hamstring) and Ivica Zubac (ankle) were all out, and coach Rick Carlisle was away from the team for his father's funeral, with Lloyd Pierce serving as acting coach. The Heat, meanwhile, had their full roster available, including Simone Fontecchio, who returned after missing the Atlanta game with an illness.
That makes the blowout easier to explain, and it is why one game should not be treated as proof that the early problems are solved. Our analysis: the encouraging part is not the final score but the shape of the performance, with Giannis and Bam producing together and the bench contributing. Whether that holds against a healthy opponent is the real test.
What the Win Means for the NBA Cup and Standings
Friday opened the Heat's four-game group schedule in the NBA Cup, and the results also count in the regular-season standings, except for the Dec. 11 championship game. Miami's remaining group games are Nov. 13 at home against Cleveland, Nov. 25 at Philadelphia and Nov. 27 at New York. According to the Sun Sentinel, the pool winners and one wild card in each conference advance to the knockout round beginning Dec. 4, and margin of victory is part of the seeding process. A 20-point win helps there.
At 2-4, Miami still has ground to make up in the Eastern Conference standings, but two straight wins give Spoelstra something to build on. Spoelstra summed it up this way: "We're not there yet. We're not even close. But we're starting to make strides."
What Heat Fans Should Watch Next
The Heat now open a five-game western road trip Monday night against the Los Angeles Lakers. Watch whether Thompson's shooting carries over, how Spoelstra balances the Antetokounmpo-Adebayo minutes, and whether the bench combination of Larsson and Bobby Portis Jr. continues to produce. Also keep an eye on the injury report before tip-off for any late changes.
For background on how this season began, revisit our Giannis Antetokounmpo preseason report and our season opener preview.
Follow Remix Sports Media for continuing Miami Heat coverage, including game recaps, injury updates, roster news and analysis throughout the 2026-27 season.
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