The Greek two-time NBA Most Valuable Player had been expected to immediately propel Miami into the ranks of Eastern Conference contenders, but his first victory in a Heat uniform came at the fifth time of asking.
Antetokounmpo, who had a triple-double in defeat to the Dallas Mavericks two nights earlier, again racked up impressive numbers, with 24 points and 18 rebounds.
This time he was backed up by teammates Bam Adebayo, who scored 24 with nine rebounds, and Andrew Wiggins who added 18 points.
Former Milwaukee Bucks star Antetokounmpo reached 1,000 career steals, while Adebayo became the Heat’s all-time leading rebounder, surpassing the record of 5,791 previously held by Udonis Haslem.
“I can’t really put it into words, man. I just wish I could have did it at the crib,” Adebayo said at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.
The star-packed Philadelphia 76ers bounced back from Sunday’s disappointing loss against Detroit to move to 4-1 with a 114-109 victory in a back-and-forth clash with the Indiana Pacers.
LeBron James and the Sixers struggled to see off Indiana, which this week announced it would be without star Tyrese Haliburton for around two weeks due to a hamstring injury.
The Sixers fell behind in a lop-sided third quarter, but rallied down the final stretch to seal the road victory.
Tyrese Maxey scored 17 of his 27 points in a blistering fourth quarter showing to spare his team’s blushes.
James managed just 13 points but added 10 assists, while Joel Embiid had 21 points and 11 rebounds, and Jaylen Brown provided 20 points.
“JB and (Embiid) and Bron kind of got on me not being aggressive the first three quarters. When JB checked back in the game in the 4th quarter he said ‘you owe us, take us home,'” said Maxey.
“I just gotta do what my vets tell me to do.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder suffered their first loss of the season, falling 120-96 to the Dallas Mavericks.
A victory would have made the Thunder the only team in NBA history to start three straight seasons 5-0, but they were denied as Cooper Flagg scored 26 points with eight assists for Dallas.
“I think we just got guys that are bought into a winning culture,” said 19-year-old star Flagg.
Dybantsa debut
AJ Dybantsa, the top overall pick of the NBA Draft, played his first NBA minutes during the Washington Wizards’ 121-111 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Nineteen-year-old Dybantsa had missed the Wizards’ first four games with an ankle sprain but started Wednesday, scoring 19 points.
The Cavaliers clinched victory in the final quarter. Donovan Mitchell scored 19 points with seven assists.
French superstar Victor Wembanyama poured in 36 points with 14 rebounds as his San Antonio Spurs won a third straight game with a 117-111 triumph over the Utah Jazz.
The Houston Rockets, one of three remaining undefeated teams, became the first to improve to 5-0, with a 132-100 win against the Bucks.
Fred VanVleet top-scored with 24 while Amen Thompson added 23.
