WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 22: Head coach Rick Carlisle of the Indiana Pacers looks on against the Washington Wizards in the first half at Capital One Arena on October 22, 2021 in Washington, DC. Carr/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Rob Carr / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
Rookie Chris Duarte turned a foul on a 3-point shot into three critical free throws in overtime Saturday night as the Indiana Pacers gave coach Rick Carlisle his first win at his new job with a 102-91 victory over the visiting Miami Heat.
After losing a pair of one-point games on the road, including one in overtime at Washington on Friday on the front end of a back-to-back, the Pacers had enough energy to outscore Miami 16-5 over the five extra minutes to break into the win column.
Oshae Brissett’s follow shot at the 3:48 mark of overtime gave the Pacers a lead they never relinquished.
Malcolm Brogdon doubled the advantage with two free throws, after which Duarte buried his three foul shots, producing a 95-88 lead with just 2:08 to play.
The Heat, coming off a blowout home win over Milwaukee in their opener, never got closer than six after that.
Both teams had multiple opportunities to win in regulation after Tyler Herro’s 3-pointer produced an 86-all tie with 51.1 seconds remaining.
After Brogdon missed from short range for the Pacers, he made up for it by blocking a Jimmy Butler driving layup at the other end, with the ball going out of bounds and remaining with Miami.
But Butler then missed a jumper with 12.2 seconds to go, giving Indiana one last chance. Duarte, however, was off the mark with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, producing overtime.
Neither team led by more than 12 points over the first three quarters and weren’t separated by more than six in the final period, setting up the tight finish.
Duarte finished with 19 points to pace a balanced Indiana attack, while Brissett and Brogdon had 18 apiece and Domantas Sabonis 17. Brogdon and Sabonis both recorded double-doubles, Brogdon with a team-high 14 rebounds and Sabonis with 12.
Jeremy Lamb was a fifth Pacer in double figures with 12 points.
roll the tape on tonight's #PacersWin 📹@C_Duarte5: 19p/5r@MalcolmBrogdon7: 18p/14r/4a/2b@Obrissy: 18p/9r@Dsabonis11: 17p/12r/4a/4s@jlamb: 12p/2r#GoldBlooded pic.twitter.com/gW9UKVpOhR
— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) October 24, 2021
Herro was the game’s leading scorer with 30 points, missing his career high by four. He did, however, record his first career double-double in a game in which he had 30 points, adding 10 rebounds.
Bam Adebayo led all rebounders with 16 to go with 17 points, while Butler had 19 points and Duncan Robinson 14.