Indiana led 54-46 midway through the second quarter in Miami, then went four minutes without a point during a 16-0 Heat run that started a 145-125 loss. The Pacers are 2-4, have lost three straight, and host winless Brooklyn on November 1.
Where the ball stopped
For one quarter the offense was what this team wants to be: 42 points, the ball finding the open man, and Jay Huff 4 of 4. Forbes' Tony East counted a 10-of-16 start from three and wrote that the shot clock squeezed many possessions once Miami turned the game. Indiana scored 19 in the second period to Miami's 32. The 16-0 burst came first, then an 11-0 surge across halftime pushed it to 61-78. Miami won the third 35-27 behind Klay Thompson, who finished 7 of 12 from deep, and the margin reached 25. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31, 18 boards and 10 assists at +31, Bam Adebayo added 27 on 11-of-14, and the Indianapolis Star had Miami ahead 36-22 in the paint at the break.
Grading the box
Quenton Jackson gets an A: 24 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 2 steals and one turnover in 24 minutes, and a -2 on a night of 20-point minus figures. Jarace Walker gets a B-plus for 14 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and 3-of-5 from three at +5 in 28 minutes. Pascal Siakam gets a D: 5 of 17, 0 of 5 from deep, 3 turnovers, -25. Andrew Nembhard's 22 points and 9 assists on 5-of-8 threes came with the team's lowest plus-minus, which says more about the defense around him than about his shot. Fieldhouse Files counted 11 available players, three of them on two-way deals, and every one logged double-digit minutes.
Brooklyn, then Atlanta
Starters scored 67 and the bench 58, and Rick Carlisle closed with Braden Smith, Jalen Slawson, Walker, Kobe Brown and Jackson; Smith's +8 in 12 minutes was the best on the roster. Indiana is the East's 11th seed, level with Miami at 2-4 and a game back of 3-3 Atlanta for sixth. Brooklyn arrives 0-5, beaten 136-109 by Indiana on October 25, with Egor Demin out. The Hawks follow the next night. Obi Toppin is day-to-day and Ivica Zubac is out, both listed to return November 1; T.J. McConnell's target date is November 2.
Who led the Pacers in scoring against the Heat?
Quenton Jackson scored 24 off the bench on 9-of-13 shooting. Andrew Nembhard added 22 points and 9 assists.
When do the Pacers play next?
Indiana hosts the 0-5 Nets on November 1, then the Hawks on November 2.
