Bam Adebayo scored a season-high 24 points and became Miami’s all-time leading rebounder as the Heat claimed their first victory of the season, a 129-117 road win over the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Giannis Antetokounmpo added 24 points and a season-high 18 rebounds for Miami, which had dropped its first four games. Andrew Wiggins scored 18 points, Pelle Larsson added 17, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 14, Bobby Portis Jr. had 11, and Davion Mitchell added 10 points and 10 assists.
Adebayo grabbed nine boards and broke Udonis Haslem’s franchise record of 5,791 career rebounds. Adebayo ended the night with 5,794.
Miami outscored Atlanta 70-52 on points in the paint and shot 53.1% from the field and 37.9% (11 of 29) from 3-point range.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker led Atlanta with 23 points, hitting five 3-pointers. Rookie guard Kingston Flemings scored a season-high 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting. CJ McCollum put up 13 points, Jalen Johnson added 12, Onyeka Okongwu had 11 while battling foul trouble, and Jock Landale and Aaron Wiggins chipped in 10 apiece.
Atlanta has lost three straight since opening the season with a pair of wins.
The Hawks, down by 18 in the third quarter, pulled within 118-112 on Dyson Daniels’ tip-in with 3:33 left before Antetokounmpo answered with four consecutive points. The Heat closed on an 11-5 run to secure the win.
Miami led 34-25 at the end of the first quarter despite playing much of the period without Antetokounmpo, who picked up two personal fouls in the first four minutes.
Landale produced a three-point play with 8:43 left in the second quarter to cut the deficit to 42-40 before Miami regained control and took a 69-56 lead into halftime after Nikola Jovic drilled a halfcourt shot at the buzzer.
Miami maintained its momentum in the third quarter and pushed the lead to 95-77 on Hardaway’s trey with 2:04 left. Aaron Wiggins hit a 3-pointer to end the quarter and pull Atlanta within 97-85.
Antetokounmpo hit a 13-foot jumper with 9:32 left in the fourth quarter to put Miami ahead 107-94 before Luguentz Dort answered with consecutive 3-pointers.
–Field Level Media
