Giannis Antetokounmpo Posts 20, 15 and 9 as Heat Beat Nets 144-128 in Final Home Preseason Game

Giannis Antetokounmpo came within one assist of a triple-double in 24 minutes, and Erik Spoelstra got the long look at his bench he wanted, as the Miami Heat beat the Brooklyn Nets 144-128 on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center in their final home game of the preseason.

Antetokounmpo finished with 20 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists and three blocked shots, making 8 of his 10 field goal attempts, according to ESPN's box score. Miami shot 59% from the field, led for 94% of the game and improved to 3-1 in the preseason with one exhibition left before next week's regular-season opener.

Antetokounmpo's night

The two-time MVP did most of his damage at the rim. He missed both of his 3-point attempts but went 8 for 10 overall, with 13 defensive rebounds, and was a plus-15 in his minutes, according to ESPN. The one blemish was at the free throw line, where he made 4 of 9, and he committed four turnovers.

It was his third preseason appearance for Miami. He scored nine points in 14 minutes in the preseason opener against Toronto in Quebec City and 18 points in his Kaseya Center debut against New Orleans on Oct. 8, according to ESPN's box scores. He did not play in the Heat's 125-124 loss to Minnesota on Saturday, according to ESPN's box score.

Spoelstra's depth evaluation

Spoelstra framed the game as a chance to evaluate depth with the opener a week away, Local 10 News reported before tipoff. "We have so much depth, and we want to utilize that depth over the course of 82 games," Spoelstra said, according to Local 10. He added that the team does not see a need to play its key players 40 minutes a night.

The minutes reflected that approach. Fourteen Heat players got into the game, and no one played more than 24 minutes, according to ESPN's box score. Eight players scored in double figures:

Simone Fontecchio added 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from beyond the arc, and Nikola Jovic had seven assists and five rebounds off the bench while finishing a plus-14, according to ESPN.

Rookie guard Ryan Conwell continued a strong preseason. He was a team-best plus-23 in his 24 minutes against Brooklyn, after scoring 22 points with nine assists in Saturday's loss to Minnesota, according to ESPN's box scores.

Adebayo sits

Bam Adebayo did not play because of right groin tightness, according to ESPN's box score. Guard Dru Smith sat out with a right calf strain, and Pelle Larsson was also held out with an injury or illness. His status for the preseason finale and the opener bears watching. Local 10 had listed Adebayo alongside Antetokounmpo, Thompson and Wiggins as the veterans whose combinations with the rest of the roster Spoelstra is still sorting out.

How the game went

Miami opened with a 35-29 first quarter and held a 69-66 halftime lead before breaking the game open with a 43-point third quarter, according to ESPN. The Heat's largest lead was 17.

The Heat dominated inside. They outscored Brooklyn 62-38 in the paint, won the rebounding battle 50-37, scored 20 fast-break points to the Nets' six and handed out 32 assists on 55 made baskets, according to the box score. Miami was less sharp from distance, making 15 of 42 3-pointers, and from the line, where it shot 19 of 29.

Michael Porter Jr. led Brooklyn with 27 points on 9-of-17 shooting, including four 3-pointers. Egor Demin scored 17, and Julius Randle, Moritz Wagner and Mikel Brown Jr. had 15 apiece. The Nets fell to 3-1 in the preseason.

Brooklyn kept the game within reach for a half with its outside shooting and its hands. The Nets made 17 of 48 3-pointers and 27 of 32 free throws, and they collected 12 steals while forcing 15 Miami turnovers, according to ESPN. Wagner was efficient off the bench, hitting 6 of 7 shots, including all three of his 3-point tries. But Brooklyn led for only a sliver of the night, and its largest lead was one point.

The preseason so far

Miami's four exhibition results, according to ESPN:

The depth Spoelstra talked about has shown up throughout the exhibition schedule. In the 129-105 opener against the Raptors at Quebec City's Videotron Centre, no Heat player reached 15 points; Hardaway led with 14 in 11 minutes, and five others scored 11 or more, according to ESPN. Against the Pelicans, Antetokounmpo's 18 points led six Heat players in double figures, with Wiggins adding 13 and Tre Donaldson 12.

The loss to Minnesota came with most of the regular rotation, including Antetokounmpo, Wiggins, Thompson, Mitchell and Hardaway, absent from ESPN's box score. A reserve-heavy group still came within a point of the Timberwolves behind Conwell's 22 points, 18 from center Vladislav Goldin on 7-of-10 shooting and 16 from Jovic. Minnesota is also Miami's opening-night opponent, which will give the Heat a far more complete look at the Timberwolves next week.

What's next

The Heat close the preseason Friday, Oct. 16, at the Orlando Magic at Kia Center, with tipoff at 7 p.m. Eastern, according to ESPN's schedule. The regular season opens Wednesday, Oct. 21, when Minnesota visits Kaseya Center at 7:30 p.m. Miami then hosts Detroit on Oct. 23 and plays at Charlotte on Oct. 24.

Local 10 will carry at least 68 Heat regular-season games this season under an expanded media rights agreement with the team, the station has said. For Spoelstra, the Orlando trip is one last chance to settle a rotation built around Antetokounmpo before the games count.