By Nikola Miloradovic / info@eurohoops.net
Giannis Antetokounmpo began a new chapter in his NBA career, making his Miami Heat debut in a 129-105 preseason win over the Toronto Raptors in Quebec City.
After 13 seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, including 895 regular-season appearances and 84 playoff games, Antetokounmpo took the court for his new team at the Videotron Centre in front of 18,474 fans.
He finished with nine points, four rebounds and seven assists in 14 minutes and seven seconds, making all three of his field-goal attempts and going 3-for-4 from the free-throw line. He also committed two turnovers as Miami used 19 players.
Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra was impressed by Antetokounmpo’s playmaking, comparing his ability to create for teammates to that of Magic Johnson.
“He makes great plays. We knew that about him. We faced him in the playoffs three times. But when you really see it every day in practice this week, you appreciate how brilliant of a playmaker that he can be. With the size and the vision and his ability to put it on the numbers to shooters is really impressive.”
Spoelstra then pointed to a familiar connection for Pat Riley, who coached Johnson during the Los Angeles Lakers’ success in the 1980s.
“Pat was at practice all week and the way he’s played with the ball in his hands and delivering the ball, he reminds all of us of a great big point guard that played for Pat back in the ’80s.”
As for the rest of Heat’s squad, Sweden’s Pelle Larsson scored 13 points without a miss, going 3-for-3 from the field and 7-for-7 from the free-throw line, while adding two rebounds, two assists and two steals. Italy’s Simone Fontecchio contributed four points, two rebounds, an assist and a block, while Russian center Vladislav Goldin scored six points on 3-for-4 shooting in seven minutes.
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