INDIANAPOLIS _ In a performance as nondescript at much of this season so far, the Heat took an early double-digit lead, gave it all up as if scripted, and then were unable to fully find their footing in falling, 99-91 Friday night to the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Save for the 28 points from Josh Richardson and a too-late rally, there was little of note for the Heat, except for noting how the Pacers were able to feast on 19 Heat turnovers.
If it wasn't center Hassan Whiteside missing from point-blank range on a 6-for-15 night, it was Justise Winslow going 1 of 5 from deep ... or Kelly Olynyk missing from everywhere on an 0-for-7 night.
And even with the Heat able to contain Victor Oladipo, there was ample Indiana support from Tyreke Evans, Domantas Sabonis, Bojan Bogdanovic and Cory Joseph.
The Heat moved within 92-89 with 1:26 to play on a Richardson 3-pointer, after previously trailing by as many as 15.
From there, the Pacers got a 3-pointer from Oladipo with 1:15 to play to move ahead 95-89. Unable to get a good shot _ typical of the overall offensive struggles _ the Heat then went deep into the shot clock before a wayward jumper by Tyler Johnson effectively ended it.
The loss was the Heat's seventh in their last 10 games, with a showdown with LeBron James and the Lakers up next on Sunday at AmericanAirlines Arena.
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