In search of the first home win of the Giannis Antetokounmpo era, the Miami Heat host the injury-plagued Indiana Pacers on Friday night in an East Group B game in the NBA Cup.
It took a week for the new-look Heat to earn their first victory of the season, a 129-117 road win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Despite pairing Antetokounmpo with Bam Adebayo in a formidable frontcourt, Miami lost its first four games for the first time since 2007-08. Coach Erik Spoelstra hopes the win in Atlanta is a turning point.
“I think the biggest thing is that we’ve been able to handle adversity appropriately,” Spoelstra said. “Nobody was hanging their heads. One game is not all that we’re looking for. Obviously we’re trying to build something much bigger, but you have to deal with what happens in this league and not compound it with losing your spirit.”
Antetokounmpo is averaging 27.6 points and 11.2 rebounds over five games with his new club. Adebayo is coming off his best outing of the season, scoring 24 points and grabbing nine rebounds on Wednesday. He became the franchise’s all-time leading rebounder with the effort against Atlanta.
The 29-year-old now has 5,794 career rebounds, passing former teammate Udonis Haslem, who finished with 5,791.
“It was a really special moment in the locker room. It was so well-deserved,” Spoelstra said. “He’s done it with an iron will and a work ethic that’s unmatched. That’s a lot of rebounds in traffic, getting hit and banged around in there. To break the record of his brother, ‘UD’, it’s a really special moment.”
Indiana has dropped three of its last four and will remain without several important pieces in Miami.
After missing last season with a torn Achilles tendon, Tyrese Haliburton is expected to miss at least two weeks with a left hamstring strain. Center Ivica Zubac has missed the past two games with a sprained left ankle, while guard T.J. McConnell has yet to make his season debut because of a right hamstring injury.
“We’ve got to work at keeping our health as good as we can until we can get some more guys back,” Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. “We just need bodies.”
Carlisle will continue to rely on fifth-year guard Andrew Nembhard to lead a limited backcourt. After averaging a career-high 16.9 points and 7.7 assists last season, the 26-year-old has become the team’s primary ballhandler.
Nembhard had 18 points and 14 assists in a 114-109 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.
“He’s a great player and his versatility is really special,” Carlisle said. “He’s terrific as an off-guard that can make plays, but he’s obviously a natural point guard. He had a lot of opportunities to show that last year with (Haliburton) out.”
Nembhard is dealing with neck stiffness and soreness but is listed as probable for Friday.
Lloyd Pierce will serve as the Pacers’ interim coach in Miami as Carlisle attends the funeral of his father, Preston, who died on Oct. 3 at the age of 96.
–Field Level Media
