Heat vs Pacers Takeaways: Bam Adebayo Game Of The Season Leads To Dominant Victory

Bryan Townes | 1 Hour Ago

Nov 15, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) holds the ball while Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat (5-6) bounced back for a much-needed victory without Jimmy Butler against the Indiana Pacers (5-7) 124-111.

Here’s a look at four major takeaways from the matchup:

1. Bam Adebayo has his best game of the season.

Adebayo got off to his usual slow start in the first quarter but made his opponents feel his impact very clearly as the game progressed. He finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists on 58.8 percent shooting and 66.7 percent from three-point range. Arguably, his most impressive stat of the night was finishing with five steals. The Heat need this version of Adebayo much more often, even when Jimmy Butler returns.

2. Kevin Love sparks the best third quarter of the season for the Heat.

Since returning to the Heat this year, Love’s impact and veteran leadership has been very noticeable. However, tonight was by far his best performance. He finished with 15 points, seven rebounds, and two assists on 75 percent shooting and 75 percent from three-point range. He also had a dominant defensive performance with four steals. He scored all his points in the third quarter, which propelled the Heat above their standard offensive ruts and has led to several losses.

3. Nikola Jovic and Jaime Jaquez Jr. lead the Heat’s bench units in scoring.

With Jovic removed from the starting lineup, he has seemed much more comfortable and free to play as he wants. He finished with 11 points, six rebounds, and one assist on 62.5 percent shooting and 25 percent from three-point range. Off the bench, he clearly has more shot opportunities than in the starting lineup. Jaime Jaquez Jr. continued his consistent bench production. He finished with 10 points, three rebounds, and five assists on 66.7 percent shooting and missed his only three-point attempt.

4. Haywood Highsmith continues to prove his value as a Heat starter.

Since Butler went down with an injury, Highsmith has started each game. He finished with 14 points, one rebound, and one assist on 100 percent shooting and made both three-point attempts. As a starter, the defensive coverage often leaves him wide open to focus on the other Heat stars. This has allowed him to take advantage of easy three-point opportunities and cuts to the basket, where he gets easy layups and dunks. Defensively, he was equally as good with his constant defensive pressure. With Terry Rozier’s recent struggles and Love’s return, it will be interesting to see if Highsmith remains in the starting rotation.

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at btownesjr@gmail.com or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook.