MIAMI (Interstat) — The Miami Heat used a dominant second half to rout the Indiana Pacers 142-116 on Saturday night at FTX Arena. Miami outscored Indiana 83-56 after halftime, turning a close game into a blowout before a crowd of 19,715. Andrew Wiggins led the Heat with 28 points, supported by 28 from Jaime Jaquez and 19 points with seven assists from Nikola Jovic. Pascal Siakam scored 33 points for Indiana, and Andrew Nembhard dished out 16 assists. The Heat’s victory was fueled by superior ball security and defense, forcing 26 Pacers turnovers while committing only 10. Miami also shot 20 of 21 from the free-throw line. The loss dropped Indiana to 6-26, while Miami improved to 17-15.

MIAMI (Interstat) — The Miami Heat unleashed a fourth-quarter avalanche, outscoring the Indiana Pacers by 22 points in the final period to turn a close game into a 142-116 rout on Saturday night at FTX Arena. A crowd of 19,715 saw the Heat, playing on the second night of a back-to-back, explode for 44 points in the fourth quarter to pull away decisively. The game was tightly contested through three quarters, with Miami holding a narrow 98-94 lead. But the final 12 minutes belonged entirely to the home team, as they shot a blistering 16 of 21 from the field and forced eight Indiana turnovers to seal the victory. Andrew Wiggins and Jaime Jaquez Jr. led a balanced and explosive Miami attack, each scoring 28 points. Wiggins, the game’s top star, added six rebounds and three assists, continuing a strong stretch of play. Norman Powell contributed 23 points off the bench, part of a massive 60-23 advantage in bench scoring for the Heat. Nikola Jovic orchestrated the offense with 19 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while Pelle Larsson dished out seven assists and Kel’el Ware added 15 points and seven rebounds. The Heat’s offensive efficiency was staggering. They scored 142 points on 110 possessions, an offensive rating of 129.1, and shot 51.4% from the field. They were nearly perfect from the free throw line, making 20 of 21 attempts. Defensively, Miami was relentless, forcing 26 Indiana turnovers and converting them into 38 points. The Heat also recorded 17 steals, led by multiple players with active hands. Indiana was led by Pascal Siakam’s 33 points and seven rebounds. Bennedict Mathurin scored 25 points and Andrew Nembhard handed out 16 assists. But the Pacers’ offense, which scored at a respectable clip for three quarters, collapsed under Miami’s pressure in the fourth. Indiana committed 26 turnovers leading to 38 Miami points and managed only six assists as a team, highlighting a stagnant and mistake-prone attack. The most important sequence of the game came early in the fourth quarter, with Miami leading 100-103. Over the next three minutes, the Heat unleashed a 13-0 run to break the game open. It started with a driving layup by Nikola Jovic and a three-pointer from Dru Smith. After an Indiana miss, Jovic found Jaime Jaquez for a floating jumper, and then Jovic himself buried another three-pointer off a Pelle Larsson assist. A steal by Jovic led to a Larsson dunk, capping the run and extending the lead to 116-103 with 7:21 remaining. The Pacers never recovered, as Miami continued to pour it on, eventually leading by as many as 26 points. The victory improved Miami’s record to 17-15, while Indiana fell to a league-worst 6-26. The Heat outperformed pregame expectations, having been installed as 8.5-point favorites in a game where the total score of 258 far exceeded the over/under line of 230.5. Miami next hosts the Denver Nuggets on Monday. Indiana continues its road trip in Houston on Monday. The two teams will meet again in Indianapolis on Jan. 10.

Struggling Pacers Face Heat in Miami MIAMI (Interstat) — Two teams looking to halt slides will meet Saturday when the Indiana Pacers visit the Miami Heat at FTX Arena. The Pacers (6-24), owners of the NBA’s worst record, limp into South Florida having lost six straight and 11 of their last 12 games. Their most recent outing was a 111-94 home loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday. Indiana’s bright spot has been forward Pascal Siakam, who is averaging 22.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists over his last 10 games. He scored 26 points in a narrow 114-113 loss to New York last week and had 36 points and nine rebounds in a win over Chicago on Dec. 5. Guard TJ McConnell, coming off a 16-point, six-assist performance against Milwaukee, provides backcourt energy. The Heat (15-15) have lost three consecutive games and five of their last six, falling back to .500. They are coming off a 112-91 home loss to Toronto on Tuesday. Guard Norman Powell has been a consistent offensive force, scoring at least 17 points in nine straight games, including a 30-point outburst in a win over the LA Clippers on Dec. 1. Center Bam Adebayo remains a defensive anchor, grabbing 12 rebounds against Toronto. Miami won the only previous meeting this season, 140-123, on Dec. 1 behind Powell’s 30 points. For Indiana, the matchup begins a stretch of 10 games in 19 days. Miami continues a challenging homestand before a lengthy road trip next week. The game tips off at 8 p.m. EST Saturday.