Pistons Beat Heat 128-111 as Giannis Antetokounmpo's 36 Points Can't Fix Miami's Defense in 0-2 Start

The Miami Heat's new-look season is two games old, and the defense has yet to show up. The Detroit Pistons led from start to finish Friday night at Kaseya Center, beating the Heat 128-111 behind 23 points from John Collins and 19 off the bench from Paul Reed, and sending Miami to an 0-2 start despite 36 points and 12 rebounds from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The loss came two nights after the Minnesota Timberwolves routed Miami 131-106 in the season opener on the same floor, when Anthony Edwards scored 45 and Antetokounmpo had 35 in his Heat debut. According to The Associated Press, Miami has now allowed a franchise-worst 259 points through the first two games of a season and has been outscored by a combined 42 points. The Heat are 0-2 for only the eighth time in their 39-year history.

Detroit's fast start sets the tone

Detroit opened the game on a 17-2 run and never gave the lead back. The Pistons scored 41 points in the first quarter and took a 65-53 lead into halftime.

Miami's frontcourt help never arrived in the first half. Bam Adebayo spent most of it on the bench in foul trouble, finishing the half with no points, one shot attempt and three fouls in seven minutes, according to the AP. Klay Thompson missed all five of his first-half shots, every one of them from 3-point range.

The third quarter was where Detroit pulled away. The Pistons won the period 38-27 to stretch the margin to 103-80 entering the fourth. The Pistons' largest lead was 23 points, and the Heat never led at any point, according to the ESPN box score. Miami won the fourth quarter 31-25 once the outcome was settled.

Here is how the scoring unfolded by quarter:

The defensive numbers behind the 0-2 start

The box score explains why the Heat's defensive problems have become the story of the first week. Detroit shot 47 of 89 from the field, 53 percent, and made 18 of 38 3-point attempts, 47 percent. The Pistons assisted on 34 of their 47 baskets and scored 22 fast-break points.

Miami's offense did not keep pace. The Heat shot 39 of 102 overall, 38 percent, and 15 of 51 from 3-point range, 29 percent. They also made just 18 of 28 free throws. Miami did some things well: it grabbed 18 offensive rebounds, outscored Detroit 46-42 in the paint and forced the Pistons into 19 turnovers. But the volume of missed shots and the steady stream of open looks at the other end outweighed all of it.

Detroit's shooters spread the damage around. Collins made 9 of 15 shots, including 5 of 6 from 3-point range. Reed went 8 of 11 with 11 rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench. Daniss Jenkins added 15 points in a reserve role, and Isaiah Joe scored 12. Cade Cunningham had 16 points and eight assists, though he also committed seven turnovers.

Duncan Robinson burns his former team

Former Heat guard Duncan Robinson, who spent years as one of Miami's most reliable 3-point shooters, scored 17 points against his old club. He made 5 of 10 from deep in 28 minutes and finished with a plus-22 rating, the best on the floor for either team.

The win pushed Detroit to 2-0 for the first time since the 2018-19 season, according to the AP. It also opened a three-game road swing for the Pistons, who visit the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday and the defending NBA champion New York Knicks on Tuesday.

Detroit's night came with a cost. Ausar Thompson left in the third quarter after an awkward fall, and center Jalen Duren played only 10 first-half minutes before leaving with a right thigh issue. The AP reported both would be evaluated further Saturday, and ESPN listed both as day-to-day after the game.

Antetokounmpo carries the load again

Antetokounmpo did nearly everything Miami could ask of him on offense. He made 15 of 26 shots, grabbed six offensive rebounds among his 12 boards and added five assists and two steals in 33 minutes. Through two games in a Heat uniform, he has scored 71 points.

The rest of the lineup gave him little support. Davion Mitchell scored 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting, and Bobby Portis added 11 points and eight rebounds off the bench, the only Heat player besides Antetokounmpo and Mitchell to reach double figures. Andrew Wiggins scored eight points on 3-of-12 shooting. Adebayo finished with four points, and Thompson scored six on 2-of-11 shooting, all of his attempts coming from 3-point range. Pelle Larsson made 1 of 7 shots in 29 minutes.

According to the AP, it is the first time in Antetokounmpo's career that he has played in both of his team's first two games and lost both. Milwaukee started 0-2 in 2015-16, but he was suspended for that season's opener.

What it means for Miami

For South Florida fans, the first week was supposed to be a showcase for the Antetokounmpo era. Instead, the Heat have been beaten by double digits twice at home, and the defensive identity that has defined Erik Spoelstra's teams for years has been missing. Opponents have topped 125 points in both games.

Two games is a small sample, and the Heat are still fitting new pieces around Antetokounmpo and Adebayo. But the schedule offers no time to regroup on the practice floor. Miami visits Charlotte on Saturday, the second night of a back-to-back, and returns to Kaseya Center on Monday.

What's next

The Heat's next stretch mixes road trips and home dates against Eastern and Western Conference opponents:

Charlotte is 1-1 and also on the second night of a back-to-back after the Atlanta Hawks beat the Hornets 128-81 on Friday. Miami and Detroit meet again Nov. 14 at Kaseya Center, with the Pistons holding a 1-0 lead in the four-game season series.