Heat cannot escape the tanking Pacers, lose 135-118 - Hot Hot Hoops

Heat Pacers (Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images)

Just when you think things couldn’t have gotten worse for the Miami Heat — they got worse.

The Indiana Pacers, a tanking team who entered losers of 18 of their previous 19 games, secured a 135-118 win over the Miami Heat inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse Sunday evening.

To make matters worse: Two of the Pacers’ 17 wins this season — remember, there are only two weeks left in the season! — have come against the Heat. The Pacers’ 17-point win Sunday is their biggest since that aforementioned victory, which came in a 24-point win on Jan. 10.

Indiana, who shot 68.2 percent in the first half (13-22 3PA), outscored the Heat 25-7 over the final 8:49. The Heat clanked 15 of their final 18 attempts, shooting just 17.9 percent in the fourth quarter while missing all eight of their 3-point attempts.

Once again, Miami couldn’t defend a stop sign for most of the night. It has now allowed 130-plus points in five of its last seven games, surrendering a 130.7 points per 100 possessions to a dormant Pacers unit that’s been a bottom-five unit the whole season.

Pascal Siakam tallied a team-high 30 points on 11-of-24 shooting with 11 rebounds and six assists, though it was former Sioux Falls Skyforce center Micah Potter who was second (21 points) in scoring, draining five of his six triples.

Kobe Brown (18 points), TJ McConnell (15 points, 9 assists) and Andrew Nembhard (15 points, 10 assists) were all very good in the winning effort.

Without Norman Powell, Tyler Herro posted a game-high 31 points on 12-of-22 shooting and 5-of-13 from distance. The Heat shot 46.5 percent from the floor and 13-of-37 from 3-point range.

Pelle Larsson, Andrew Wiggins and Bam Adebayo scored 15 points apiece. Jaime Jaquez Jr., who will be in contention for the Sixth Man of the Year award, had 17 points and eight boards on 7-of-17 shooting.

Heat cannot escape the tanking Pacers, lose 135-118 – Hot Hot Hoops

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