Featured Stories | Miami Heat

By Stephen Diener |

The Heat Are On Fire, After Winning Playoff Game 3 Against Indiana

APTOPIX Pacers Heat Basketball
Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon (7) is blocked and filed by Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) as he tries to score during the first half of an NBA basketball first round playoff game, Saturday, Aug. 22, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)

The Heat are on fire indeed, after moving past the Indiana Pacers Saturday night to win game 3 of the playoffs, 124-115.

That puts Miami at a 3-0 lead in the series.

Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler combined to put 49 points on the board for the Heat.

For starters, Adebayo got 7-of-11 shooting from the field as well as 8-of-9 shooting from the foul line.

Butler’s record for the game includes eight rebounds, four assists and three steals.

He also ended up shooting 17 of 20 from the foul line.

Even though Indiana won the second half, 59-50, Miami still came out on top in the end.

“We won the game,” Butler told The Miami Herald. “Truthfully that’s all that matters. It doesn’t matter if we won by 20 or won by one.”

With the Heat barely hanging on to a two-point lead late in the fourth quarter, Adebayo saved the game, with two offensive rebounds with less than two minutes to go.

“We talked about how you’re going to have to get one out of the mud,” Butler told reporters after the win. “We’re not going to make shots every night. But I think we did a great job on the defensive end, and then getting to the foul line, and step up and make ‘em, you get a little bit of confidence.”

The Heat ended up shooting 24 of 28 baskets from the foul line during the second half of the game.

They also shot 43 of 52 on free throws, while the Pacers got just 28.

Now, Miami looks to hang on to its advantage in the series.

It’s been three years since they captured a playoff series, against the Charlotte Hornets.

Remember that?

It’s time for a redux.

Game 4 starts Monday at 6:30 p.m.