Giannis has 24/18/3 line in first Heat win

The Pacers had no answer for Giannis on Friday, as he scored 24 of his 31 points in the paint. The partnership between Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo looked a bit awkward at the start of the season, which isn’t surprising. But both have looked more comfortable in the last two games, both Heat victories. And it helps that the Heat shot 18-of-40 from three against the Pacers, which provided much-needed spacing on offense.

Giannis dominated this game early on and nearly had a triple-double before halftime, and he was able to secure his first one with the Heat just a few minutes into the third quarter. However, it wasn’t enough to get their first win of the season. Giannis was much better than he was in Saturday’s loss to Charlotte, but he didn’t get much help from his co-star Bam Adebayo, who was held to just eight points. Antetokounmpo should continue to post gaudy stat lines, and they’ll head to Atlanta for their next game on Wednesday.

So far this season, the story for Miami has been that Giannis hasn’t had enough help. Well, his teammates stepped up more in this game, but Antetokounmpo wasn’t quite as productive. They went on a big run without him to tie things up in the fourth quarter. He entered with about four minutes left, committed two fouls in three minutes, and the Hornets took a six-point lead. It was a rough performance for him, but there is no reason for managers to worry. He averaged 35.5 points through their first two games and should get back on track against the Mavericks on Monday.

Antetokounmpo has now had at least 35 points in each of his first two games in a Heat uniform. He played a more complete game across the stat sheet compare to the opener with 12 rebounds, five assists and three stocks. Still, the Heat lost to the Pistons by 17 after dropping the opener to the Timberwolves by 25. Miami will look for its first win of the season and probably get it against the reeling Hornets in Charlotte on Saturday.

Giannis came out hot in his official Heat debut, scoring 14 points in the first quarter. He went into the halftime break with 21, but no other Heat player scored more than seven. Antetokounmpo finished with a solid stat line, but fantasy managers may have hoped for more on the defensive end. The Heat host the Pistons Friday in the first of two games in as many nights before visiting Charlotte on Saturday.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo being scratched a few hours before tipoff, Jović started Miami’s preseason finale. He and the other starters didn’t play after halftime, but the young forward was solid in his 15 minutes on the floor. At best, Jović is worth considering in the later rounds of a draft. His viability as a fantasy option this season will depend on Antetokounmpo’s health.

Giannis looks like he’s in regular season form after dominating the Nets on Wednesday. They had no answer when he drove into the paint. He capitalized on miscommunications on defense with his passing. He should be going in round 1 in redraft league drafts.

After scoring nine points in his unofficial Heat debut on Saturday, Antetokounmpo was more aggressive in seeking his own scoring opportunities on Thursday. Whether scoring or creating for others, Giannis will have plenty of chances to deliver elite fantasy value in his new home. If the Heat can surround him with enough shooting, Antetokounmpo’s fantasy outlook would improve.

Giannis made his first unofficial appearance for the Heat, playing 14 minutes in the first half. The veteran forward didn’t miss a shot from the field and led the team with seven assists. One can’t take too much from a preseason game, especially with Giannis’ playing time being managed. But the seven assists are something to build on, as consistent production in that category may help compensate for Antetokounmpo’s poor free-throw percentage.

Larsson carved out a solid role for the Heat last season, starting 54 of the 70 regular-season games and averaging 11.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game overall. He should again be a part of the nightly rotation in his third NBA season for a Miami team that expects to have a much higher ceiling with the offseason acquisition of Giannis Antetokounmpo. From a fantasy perspective, Larsson could take another leap in production and build in 2026-27 on a strong end to his second season.