Giannis says new-look Heat 'got to trust each other more' after blowout loss

The Miami Heat's new era began with a thud. Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 35 points in a strong individual debut, but the retooled Heat were blown out 131-106 by the Minnesota Timberwolves on opening night in Miami.

After the game, Antetokounmpo didn't sugarcoat the problem. He mentioned the word 'trust' at least five times in his postgame session, naming it the primary area this new-look group must improve. 'We got to trust each other. When things don't go our way, we got to dig in. We didn't do that tonight,' he said. 'We got to be better. We got to trust each other more. It's just one game.'

The Timberwolves were carried by a scorching new duo of Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, who torched Miami from beyond the arc. Edwards finished with 45 points on 9-of-17 shooting from three, while Ball added 21 on 5-of-13 from deep. 'They have two players that can make shots that make your spirit get defeated. You got to keep playing,' Antetokounmpo said.

Miami's supporting cast struggled to make shots, and Bam Adebayo was limited by a minor groin injury. Multiple players also admitted the Heat weren't vocal enough, failing to talk and communicate on the floor. Adebayo called the loss a steppingstone and said the group cannot get bored with its offense when it gets fatigued.

There were early highlights for the home crowd: fans began chanting 'MVP' within the first few minutes after an early Antetokounmpo basket. The Heat, with newcomers Klay Thompson and Bobby Portis joining a core led by Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell, host the Detroit Pistons on Friday in a bounce-back opportunity.