INDIANAPOLIS — Kyle Lowry scored a season-high 26 points with six three-pointers and the short-handed Miami Heat beat the Indiana Pacers 113-104 on Friday night.
The Heat were missing four regulars, including leading scorer Jimmy Butler, but compensated with 16-of-34 shooting from three-point range, compared to the Pacers’ 9-of-36.
Lowry was 6-of-9 from beyond the arc, 9-of-16 overall. The six-time all-star point guard also had nine assists.
Heat forward Duncan Robinson scored a season-high 24 points and made four threes. Tyler Herro had 18 points with three three-pointers.
Miami was ahead by seven at halftime and gradually added to an 11-point margin entering the fourth as the lead reached 20 points.
Caris LeVert scored a season-high 27 points for the Pacers, who have lost four in a row. Myles Turner had 20 and Chris Duarte 15. Domantas Sabonis added 14 points and 16 rebounds.
The Heat came out firing from long range, making 7-of-10 three-pointers, with Robinson hitting the seventh and adding a free throw for a four-point play and a 30-17 lead with 3:19 remaining in the first quarter. The Pacers trimmed the deficit to 32-25 entering the second.
Gabe Vincent‘s three-pointer from well beyond the arc put the Heat ahead 62-55 at halftime. The Heat had a 15-point advantage on threes, hitting 9 of 20 while the Pacers made 4 of 12.
TIP-INS
Heat: Robinson has scored at least 14 points in four consecutive visits to Gainbridge Fieldhouse. … Butler (tail bone), C/F Bam Adebayo (thumb), F Markieff Morris (neck) and G Victor Oladipo (knee) did not make the trip. Butler, who averages a team-high 23.6 points, has been scratched in back-to-back games.
Pacers: Sabonis leads the league with 18 double-doubles. … G Justin Holiday tested positive for COVID-19 and entered the league’s health and safety protocols on Wednesday. The 15-game starter, averaging 9.9 points, had the NBA’s longest active streak of consecutive games at 250. … G T.J. McConnell (wrist) was also inactive.
UP NEXT:
Heat: At Milwaukee on Saturday.
Pacers: Host Washington on Monday.
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