The Giannis Antetokounmpo era with the Miami Heat has begun.
Antetokounmpo and the Heat began the 2026-2027 NBA season with a 131-106 blowout loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, not exactly the result fans would've wanted as their new star debuted.
Miami's problem in the loss wasn't its new forward. He finished with a team-high 35 points, six rebounds, and an assist.
The problem was the nonexistent backcourt defense. The Heat had no answer for Anthony Edwards, who finished with 45 points, and his backcourt mate, LaMelo Ball, who had 21.
Edwards made league history in the dominant win. The Minnesota guard became just the third player in NBA history to have multiple 40-point season openers, joining Wilt Chamberlain (4) and Michael Jordan (3). Edwards had 41 in Minnesota's season-opening win against the Portland Trail Blazers last year.
Not bad company for Ant 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/6VSdJFME2F
— ESPN (@espn) October 22, 2026
Edwards and Ball dominated from beyond the arc, hitting 14 of 30 combined attempts, while Miami, as a team, made just 8 of 32. Edwards' 9 3-pointers set a franchise record for a Minnesota season opener.
Antetokounmpo somehow went from half-court to a dunk without the ball touching the ground.
Giannis OMG pic.twitter.com/UCeEtQquyQ
— MAL (@MindOfBron) October 22, 2026
Antetokounmpo made sure to show off the handles against Rudy Gobert.
GIANNIS PUTTING THE MOVES ON GOBERT
— The HEAT Realm (@WadexFlash) October 22, 2026
LOOKING LIKE MAGIC JOHNSON pic.twitter.com/h22hZsb9bl
While Antetokounmpo has a height advantage over Anthony Edwards, the two had a fun second-quarter sequence: the guard drained a three, and the Heat forward followed with an emphatic dunk, accompanied by some trash talk.
Antetokounmpo and Edwards each had 21 points in the first half.
Ant and Giannis go back and forth 😤
— NBA (@NBA) October 22, 2026
Anthony Edwards: 21 PTS
Giannis Antetokounmpo: 21 PTS
Wolves lead at the break! pic.twitter.com/VAL8Bq12Uq
Edwards spent most of the game giving the Heat a piece of his mind, and he backed up his talk with his performance.
Anthony Edwards has had words for the Miami Heat all game. 👀🔥 pic.twitter.com/inXPY4mUZ7
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 22, 2026
The Miami forward showed off impressive body control, somehow avoiding a travel and still getting the delayed layup to fall to set up an and-one.
Giannis Antetokounmpo slow steps his way to the basket. pic.twitter.com/7ZH8BKbi9V
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) October 22, 2026
Edwards put on an absolute clinic in his season debut, setting the tone for Minnesota going forward.
ANT WOW pic.twitter.com/lQUReTNVdr
— MAL (@MindOfBron) October 22, 2026
Edwards was lights out from beyond the arc, making more 3-pointers (9) himself than Miami did as a team (8).
Anthony Edwards BLOB off-screen pump-fake + stepback corner 3 pic.twitter.com/l4m4ul21Xp
— Timberwolves Clips (@WolvesClips) October 22, 2026
Antetokounmpo began his career with the Milwaukee Bucks, who selected him with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft. After 13 seasons in Milwaukee, including an NBA championship in 2021, the 2-time MVP and the Bucks disagreed over his contract, and he requested a trade to a new team.
Antetokounmpo finally got the trade he wanted this past summer as the Milwaukee Bucks sent him and Bobby Portis to Miami for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, and five draft picks.
The Heat return to action Friday, looking to notch their first win of the season against the Detroit Pistons.
Meanwhile, Minnesota will stay in Florida with a 1-0 record and take on the Orlando Magic on Friday.