Category: NBA

MEMPHIS – The expiration date of Miami Heat plans to play at pace typically is somewhere along the lines of the first week of the season. Bully Ball-or-bust has been the touchstone for so long, anything else seems out of character. And then came Friday night and Erik Spoelstra’s team was nothing short of a perpetual motion machine in what evolved into a resounding 146-114 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum, the third-highest-scoring game in the franchise’s 38 seasons. There were 44 points in the first quarter. Then 86 at halftime. This wasn’t just shots falling at high clip,...

ORLANDO – At the start, it was off to the races, 77 total points in the first quarter, 134 in the first half. In no way did this resemble anything even close to Miami Heat vs. Orlando Magic. And then Wednesday night’s season opener at Kia Center turned into something more along the lines of they are what they thought they are. With less sizzle with the shooting and more determination by the defense, the Magic outlasted the Heat 125-121, with their offensive rebounding proving to be the difference, just as it was in the Heat’s two preseason losses to Orlando. That’s not to say it wasn’t the...

MIAMI — Perhaps it was played for real simply because there now are four days off before Wednesday night’s season opener in Orlando. Or perhaps it was because the Miami Heat entered 0-5 this preseason. So there in the starting lineup Friday night were five players who well could be in the starting lineup for Erik Spoelstra when it begins for real against the Magic. It might not have been a dress rehearsal, but it was far from a typical throwaway game at the end of the preseason. Didn’t matter. For only the second time in the franchise’s 38 seasons, the Heat wound up winless in a...

ORLANDO — If there is to be a preseason dress rehearsal for the Heat’s Oct. 22 regular-season opener, coach Erik Spoelstra made clear Sunday that it would not come against his team’s season-opening opponent. So 11 days from the start of the Heat’s 38th season, Spoelstra gave the night off to the three players seemingly locked into his opening-night starting lineup: Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell. Instead, in the fourth of the Heat’s six exhibitions, Spoelstra rolled out the mix-and-match starting lineup of Kel’el Ware, Keshad Johnson, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Pelle Larsson and...

MIAMI – It’s a bit early to determine if this will be a developmental season for the Miami Heat. Unless, of course, you listened to coach Erik Spoelstra immediately prior to Wednesday night’s 112-107 preseason loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Kaseya Center. “Just to be clear,” Spoelstra said, “everybody on our roster, it’s a developmental year. We would hope to improve everybody.” With more next-gen talent to develop than in recent seasons, the Heat offered a taste of the possibilities, particularly with 2025 first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis making his preseason debut, and with 2024...

MIAMI — So who scores for the Miami Heat in the early-season absence of Tyler Herro? Norman Powell stepped forward with the likely answer in Monday night’s 103-93 exhibition loss to the Milwaukee Bucks at Kaseya Center. Scoring 18 points in his 16 first-half minutes before getting the rest of the night off, the Heat’s prime offseason acquisition stepped up from deep to provide the type of spark that will be needed with Herro expected to miss the first month of the regular season following last month’s ankle surgery. The 32-year-old veteran appeared far more comfortable with his fit after an...

For the first of six exhibitions, there still was a bit of preseason intrigue for the Miami Heat in Saturday night’s 126-118 loss to the Orlando Magic at San Juan at Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan. – After finishing last season as a starter and then being named second-team NBA All-Rookie, 7-foot Kel’el Ware opened the preseason as a reserve. – A day after formally signing a four-year, $62.4 million extension, Nikola Jovic instead received the start. – And after facing an unknown future following December’s Achilles tear, Dru Smith was back in action ahead of his anticipated schedule....

BOCA RATON — One preseason waiting game is over for the Miami Heat, with an NBA source confirming to the Sun Sentinel that fourth-year forward Nikola Jovic has agreed to a four-year, $62.4 million extension. The contract, according to the source, is a straight four years, with no option clause for either side, with the deal fully guaranteed. The Heat entered training camp with an Oct. 20 deadline for extensions with Jovic and guard Tyler Herro. Herro is eligible for a three-year, $150 million extension, with that window opening Wednesday. Jovic had been extension eligible since the start of...