Andrew Nembhard delivered a career night with 29 points and nine assists as the Indiana Pacers cruised past the Miami Heat 123-99 on Saturday night.
Indiana never trailed, building an early cushion and maintaining control throughout to secure its second straight win, matching its longest winning streak of the season. The Pacers knocked down 17 3-pointers, one shy of their season high, with Nembhard tying his season best by hitting four from beyond the arc.
Aaron Nesmith finished with 12 points and nine rebounds before exiting early, while Micah Potter provided a spark off the bench with 14 points and four 3-pointers. Jarace Walker added 13 points for Indiana.
Miami struggled offensively, shooting just 39.1% from the field and missing its first 11 attempts from long range. Tyler Herro led the Heat with 21 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 16 points, and Bam Adebayo added 13 points and nine rebounds. Miami has now dropped three of its last four games.
Less than 24 hours after Miami and Indiana were paired in college football’s national championship matchup, the Pacers again set the tone early. Indiana opened the game with runs of 12-2 and 9-0 to race out to a 28-12 lead and held a commanding 36-18 advantage after one quarter.
The Heat showed brief life to start the second half, scoring nine straight points to trim the deficit to 61-54. Indiana quickly answered with back-to-back 3-pointers from Potter and Nembhard and then unleashed a decisive 21-6 run, stretching the lead to 97-68 late in the third quarter and putting the game away.
The Heat continue their road trip in Oklahoma City on Sunday, while the Pacers return home to host Boston on Monday.
