Giannis Antetokounmpo made his Miami Heat debut in dominant fashion as the Heat defeated the Toronto Raptors 129-105 in their preseason opener on October 3 at Videotron Centre in Quebec City.
Antetokounmpo played only 14:07 but made a major impact, finishing with nine points on 3-of-3 shooting, four rebounds and seven assists. All seven of his assists resulted in made three-pointers, helping Miami shoot 14-of-29 from beyond the arc in the first half.
The Heat opened the game with a 41-point first quarter and carried a 76-55 lead into halftime. Antetokounmpo’s ability to draw defenders toward the paint created open perimeter opportunities throughout his stint.
Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra compared Antetokounmpo’s passing impact to Magic Johnson, pointing to the “gravitational pull” he creates in the paint and the opportunities it generates for his teammates.
Andrew Wiggins added 12 points while going 4-of-6 from three-point range, while Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 14 points on a perfect 4-of-4 shooting. Bam Adebayo contributed 10 points and six rebounds in 13 minutes.
Several Miami reserves also made an impact. J’Vonne Hadley finished with 11 points and six rebounds, while Pelle Larsson scored 13 points without missing a shot, going 3-of-3 from the field and 7-of-7 at the free-throw line. Bobby Portis added 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Miami finished the game shooting 49% from the field and 35% from three-point range, while making 31 of 36 free throws. The Heat also held a 55-43 advantage on the boards and assisted on 31 of their 42 made field goals.
Toronto struggled to match Miami’s offensive efficiency. The Raptors shot 39% overall and just 29% from three-point range, while trailing by 21 points after the opening quarter.
RJ Barrett led Toronto with 15 points, while Tyreke Key also scored 15 off the bench. Scottie Barnes finished with 11 points, three steals and two assists, while Jakob Poeltl added nine points.
Miami maintained control after halftime despite Toronto cutting the deficit during the third quarter. The Heat responded with 34 points in the fourth to close out a 24-point victory.
