MIAMI -- In their home opener last season, the Miami Heat squandered a double-digit lead and lost to the Charlotte Hornets, setting the tone for an 11-30 start.

The Heat appeared headed for a similar home-opening fate against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night. Miami built a 21-point third quarter lead and nearly surrendered it before holding off a late Pacers' rally for a 112-108 victory.

James Johnson's two free throws with 11 seconds remaining provided the final margin for Miami.

Goran Dragic scored 23 points to lead the Heat and Dion Waiters finished with 19 points as Miami began a season-long six-game homestand.

"There are things we can clean up," Waiters said. "What's most important is we got the win. That's what matters."

Victor Oladipo's 3-pointer with 23 seconds left got Indiana within 109-106. Miami's Josh Richardson split two free throws with 22 seconds left for a 110-106 advantage.

Cory Joseph's running jumper off the backboard with 12 seconds left cut Miami's lead to 110-108.

Johnson scored 14 points and had eight rebounds and five blocked shots and Kelly Olynyk finished with 13 points for Miami, which played without injured center Hassan Whiteside (bruised left knee).

"In the fourth quarter, during that middle stretch, I think our offensive execution and our shot selection was not where it needed to be," Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said. "But it was good to go through all the emotions of a close game and have to be able to execute on both ends in order to win."

Oladipo scored a game-high 28 points for the Pacers, who also played without center Myles Turner (concussion). Domantas Sabonis replaced Turner in the starting lineup and finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds.

"We started getting stops on the defensive end," Oladipo said of the Pacers' comeback. "We started scoring. We gave ourselves a chance. We just have to do a better job of digging ourselves in that hole."

The Pacers rallied from a 21-point deficit in the third quarter and got within 104-99 on Oladipo's jumper with 2:02 remaining. After Thaddeus Young's jumper with 1:23 left got the Pacers again within five at 106-101, Dragic's jumper 14 seconds later increased Miami's lead to 108-101.

Miami took the lead for good after a 13-0 run midway through the second period. Olynyk's eight points, including two 3-pointers, keyed the spurt and his jumper with 4:18 left in the period ended the surge for a 50-39 lead.

Olynyk, in his Miami home debut, shot 5-of-10 from the field and had nine rebounds.

Johnson's tip-in with 28 seconds left gave Miami a 63-50 lead at halftime.

Indiana got to within a field goal of tying Miami after outscoring the Heat 32-21 in the fourth quarter.

"I thought we were a little winded in that first half but we got our second wind in the second half," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "Travel is travel and I thought our guys were ready to go."

Dragic's two free throws with 6:27 remaining in the third period Miami its first 20-point lead at 78-58.

The Pacers cut the deficit to 91-82 after Damien Wilkins' layup with 10:42 remaining in the third quarter.

"We are always satisfied with the win but when we come back tomorrow, we're going to try to correct those mistakes, not to let opponents get back in the game," Dragic said.

NOTES: If symptoms improve, Pacers C Myles Turner will undergo his first evaluations to comply with the league-mandated concussion protocol Sunday, coach Nate McMillan said. Turner, who is also sidelined because of a sore neck, was hurt in the season-opening victory over Brooklyn on Wednesday. ... The Pacers finished their first set of games on consecutive nights Saturday. Indiana will have six additional back-to-back games this season. ... C Hassan Whiteside's return from a bruised left knee will depend on the progress of his daily re-evaluation, according to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra. Whiteside suffered the injury in Miami's season-opening loss against Orlando on Wednesday. ... Miami C Jordan Mickey made the second start of his NBA career in place of Whiteside. Mickey, in his second season, finished with eight points and six rebounds.