Heat vs. Jazz: Giannis Plays Through Wrist Sprain, Passes Gary Payton

Giannis Antetokounmpo was questionable an hour before tipoff. Then he scored 30. In Heat vs. Jazz on Tuesday night, Antetokounmpo played through a sprained right wrist, passed Gary Payton on the NBA’s all-time scoring list and carried Miami to a 115-109 win over a short-handed Utah team in Salt Lake City.

He shot 12-for-21 with 11 rebounds, and the Heat finished their five-game road trip 3-2. Miami is 5-6.

Heat vs. Jazz: Giannis plays through the wrist

The wrist has been an issue for more than a week. Antetokounmpo hurt it on a hard fall against the Lakers, Yardbarker reported, and he has been on the injury report ever since without missing a game. On Tuesday, Miami downgraded him from probable to questionable shortly before the game, CBS Sports noted, before he was cleared to play.

It didn’t show. He iced the wrist in a heavy wrap on the bench, according to CBS Miami, and kept attacking the rim when he was on the floor. When a 21-6 Utah run cut the lead to 101-93 with 6:42 left, Antetokounmpo scored three baskets in about two minutes to push it back to double digits.

Passing Gary Payton for No. 39

Tuesday’s 30 points gave Antetokounmpo 21,836 for his career, moving him past Payton into 39th place on the all-time list, per the AP recap on ESPN. Payton finished with 21,813.

It’s been a big start in a new city. Through his first eight games with Miami, Antetokounmpo was averaging 28.3 points, 12.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists, ClutchPoints reported. CBS Sports’ fantasy desk noted he had a double-double in each of his last seven games heading into Tuesday, including two triple-doubles.

Things haven’t gone as well for the team he left. Milwaukee got blown out by the Knicks the same night, a 117-85 loss as Karl-Anthony Towns kept his double-double streak going.

The rest of the Heat chipped in

Davion Mitchell had 19 points and eight assists, and Pelle Larsson added 14. Andrew Wiggins scored 13 off the bench, and Bam Adebayo had 11 points, eight rebounds and four steals. Klay Thompson and Adebayo came up with late blocks to close it out.

Miami’s defense made the difference early. The Heat forced 18 turnovers and scored 25 points off them, Field Level Media reported, while committing only eight of their own. Utah won the paint 50-32, but couldn’t overcome the giveaways.

Utah’s teenagers keep the Jazz watchable

The Jazz lost their ninth straight and fell to 1-10, but there’s a reason to keep watching. Rookie Darryn Peterson scored 25, one point shy of his career high for the second game in a row. Ace Bailey added 23 points and seven rebounds.

Isaiah Collier gave Utah a late jolt with 15 points in the fourth quarter. He came into the night without a made 3-pointer all season, then hit a string of them in the fourth to fuel the run that cut Miami’s lead to eight.

Utah was missing four regulars: Lauri Markkanen (wrist), Keyonte George (ankle), Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) and Jusuf Nurkic (foot).

It was part of a busy Tuesday around the league. In the West, Damian Lillard hit a logo 3 in Portland’s 123-103 win over the Thunder, and in the East, Paul George scored 36 in his return to Philadelphia.

Cleveland comes to Miami on Friday

The Heat head home to open a five-game homestand against the Cavaliers on Friday night. Expect the wrist to stay on the injury report, but Antetokounmpo has yet to miss a game because of it. Utah finishes a back-to-back against Orlando on Wednesday night.

For more coverage, see our NBA news page.

Sources: ESPN/AP, CBS Miami, CBS Sports, Field Level Media, ClutchPoints, Yardbarker, BasketNews