Adebayo, Antetokounmpo each score 37 as Heat beat Cavaliers 133-121 in NBA Cup game

Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo each scored 37 points, and the Miami Heat pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 133-121 in an NBA Cup group game Friday night, Nov. 13, at Kaseya Center.

It was only the second time in franchise history that two Heat players scored 37 points in the same game, according to The Associated Press. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were the first to do it, in 2013. Adebayo added 14 rebounds for a 37-point, 14-rebound double-double, and Davion Mitchell had 22 points with a career-high-tying 17 assists as Miami won its third straight game and improved to 6-6.

The win moved the Heat to 2-0 in NBA Cup group play and put them alone atop East Group B. Cleveland fell to 6-7 overall and 1-1 in the Cup.

How the game turned

The first half was tight. Miami led 29-27 after one quarter before Cleveland outscored Miami 30-25 in the second quarter and took a 57-54 lead into halftime. The Heat answered with a 38-point third quarter and carried a 92-91 lead into the final period. The teams traded the lead 12 times, and Cleveland's biggest advantage of the night was six points, according to ESPN's game data. Miami led for roughly 69% of the game and built a lead as large as 13.

That is when Adebayo took over. He scored 10 points in the first two and a half minutes of the fourth quarter, mostly on mid-range jumpers and a driving three-point play, and Ryan Conwell's 3-pointer capped a 13-2 burst that pushed Miami's lead to 105-93 with 8:05 left, according to ESPN's play-by-play. Adebayo finished with 18 points in the quarter.

Cleveland, led by James Harden's playmaking, kept chipping away and got within 116-108 on a Tyrese Proctor 3-pointer with 4:07 remaining. Antetokounmpo answered with a fadeaway jumper, Adebayo hit from 11 feet off a Mitchell feed, and the Heat made their free throws down the stretch to close it out. Miami won the fourth quarter 41-30.

A historic night for Miami's front line

The box score tells the story of how the Heat's two big men controlled the game. Adebayo shot 13 of 19 from the field, made 2 of 3 from 3-point range, went 9 of 10 at the free throw line and finished plus-23 in 38 minutes. He did not commit a turnover.

Antetokounmpo was just as efficient, making 15 of 20 shots on the way to 37 points with nine rebounds in 31 minutes. Antetokounmpo arrived in Miami from Milwaukee in a blockbuster trade that sent Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kasparas Jakucionis, along with draft picks, to the Bucks, according to NBC 6 South Florida. Friday was the kind of night the Heat envisioned when they made the deal: Adebayo and Antetokounmpo combined for 74 of Miami's 133 points.

Here is how Miami's leading scorers fared, according to ESPN's box score:

Mitchell runs the show, Conwell provides the spark

Mitchell, who started alongside Adebayo, Antetokounmpo, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Myron Gardner, played a team-high 39 minutes and kept the ball moving all night. His 17 assists matched his career high and were a big reason the Heat finished with 37 assists on 46 made baskets. He also hit a 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter that made it 110-97.

Conwell gave Miami 20 points off the bench in 33 minutes, making 4 of 9 from 3-point range and all four of his free throws. Andrew Wiggins added eight points and four assists, including three straight assists on Adebayo baskets to open the fourth quarter.

As a team, Miami shot 52% from the field, outscored Cleveland 56-40 in the paint, outrebounded the Cavaliers 46-36 and went 29 of 37 at the free throw line. The Heat committed only nine turnovers. The free throw line was a clear edge: Miami attempted 37 free throws to Cleveland's 25, with Adebayo and Antetokounmpo combining for 21 attempts, and the Cavaliers were whistled for 29 fouls to Miami's 20.

Cleveland's side

Donovan Mitchell led the Cavaliers with 25 points on 9-of-21 shooting. Proctor scored 22 off the bench on 7-of-9 shooting, Harden had 20 points and eight assists, Jaylon Tyson scored 16 and Meleek Thomas added 12. Cleveland made 18 of 47 3-point attempts but could not keep up with Miami inside.

The Cavaliers played without forward Evan Mobley, who sat out for the first time this season with a sprained left big toe. Coach Kenny Atkinson told reporters that an MRI came back clean and that the team does not expect it to be a long-term injury, according to the AP.

Miami was missing Klay Thompson, who has a sprained ankle, and Pelle Larsson, who was ill.

NBA Cup picture

With two group games left, the Heat control their path to the NBA Cup knockout round. Both of Miami's remaining East Group B games are on the road, at Philadelphia and at New York. A sweep would send the Heat to the quarterfinals, and even a 1-1 split would leave them with a solid chance at a wild-card berth, the AP noted.

Cleveland likely needs to win both of its remaining group games, at home against Indiana and at New York, to have a chance. No team in NBA Cup history has reached the knockout stage with less than a 3-1 record in group play, according to the AP.

Momentum for South Florida

After a 3-6 start, the Heat have strung together three consecutive wins, including a 115-109 victory over the Utah Jazz on Nov. 10. A crowd of 19,646 watched Friday's win, according to ESPN. The Heat are now 2-3 at home.

What's next

The Heat stay home for the second game of a back-to-back, hosting the Detroit Pistons at Kaseya Center on Saturday, Nov. 14. Detroit arrives after a 52-point performance from Cade Cunningham, according to ESPN's game preview. Cleveland hosts the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.