The Miami Heat came into the preseason with the usual questions that follow a roster built around Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo: where does the spacing come from, and can the perimeter game hold up when defenses pack the paint?
Four preseason games later, those worries look a lot quieter.
Erik Spoelstra’s team has already picked up wins over the Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Pelicans and Brooklyn Nets, and the average margin in those three victories was 16.7 points. Miami’s only loss came against the Minnesota Timberwolves, and even that one was close, with the Heat falling by a single point.
The biggest surprise has been the shooting. What looked like a group designed to live around the rim has shown real pop from deep, at least in exhibition play.
ESPN’s Ben Golliver pointed to Antetokounmpo’s impact after a recent win over New Orleans, writing, "Antetokounmpo pummeled the New Orleans Pelicans in a recent exhibition, blasting through a crowded paint for punishing dunks, racing ahead in transition to aid Miami's preferred up-tempo approach and making the proper reads after drawing multiple defenders... Offseason concerns about Miami's 3-point shooting acumen haven't really materialized in the preseason, though it's fair to question whether the Heat have enough talent beyond Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo to keep pace with the East's best,"
The numbers back up that read. Spoelstra has already used 12 players who shot 40% or better from three in the preseason: Bam Adebayo (40%), Bobby Portis (40%), Tim Hardaway Jr. (41.2%), Davion Mitchell (42.9%), Myron Gardner (46.7%), Simone Fontecchio (47.1%), Vladislav Goldin (50%), Andrew Wiggins (50%), Bez Mbeng (60%), Ian Schieffelin (60%) and J'Vonne Hadley (100%).
Miami also knocked down 62 three-pointers across those four games.
It’s still preseason, and that matters. But for now, the Heat have at least shown they can give Antetokounmpo a cleaner runway to the rim - or a workable escape valve on the perimeter - while Spoelstra keeps the offense moving.
In Other News...
Heat Face A Costly Frontcourt Decision Before Opening Night
Nick Richards is giving the Heat something to think about as opening night approaches, and not just because he arrived on a non-guaranteed deal. His contract only becomes guaranteed if he makes the roster for the opener, which means Miami has to decide quickly whether the big man fits into its plans as the team sorts through the edges of the frontcourt.
The early signs point toward Richards having a real chance to stick, largely because the Heat could use the help up front and he has flashed rebounding ability in limited preseason minutes. For a team that likes to keep roster flexibility, this is the kind of decision that can quietly shape the start of the season, even if it doesn't carry the same spotlight as the bigger names. [Read more 🡒]
Pat Riley Still Faces One Big Heat Decision In The Backcourt
After a busy offseason that brought Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miami and added more veteran help around him, the Heat still have one obvious area of curiosity in the backcourt. The roster looks deeper and far more ambitious than it did a few months ago, but the front office has not stopped scanning the market for another high-end guard who could change the ceiling of the team.
Kyrie Irving has become the name to watch ahead of the February trade deadline, with reports tying Miami to a possible deal for the Dallas Mavericks guard. Dallas is in the middle of a rebuild after moving Luka Doncic, and Irvings place there has become part of the larger picture, which is why this is the kind of situation Pat Riley tends to monitor closely. For the Heat, the question is whether the right opportunity is actually there, or whether the backcourt puzzle remains unsettled for now. [Read more 🡒]
Heat Fans Wont Like How Giannis And Bam Are Being Viewed
Bleacher Reports latest ranking of the NBAs top 30 defenders added another layer to the ongoing conversation around elite frontcourt defense, and it is the kind of list Heat fans are likely to have opinions on. Giannis Antetokounmpo landed at No. 10, with Bam Adebayo at No. 25, even as both players have built reputations on the defensive end for different reasons. Antetokounmpo is still seen as a force around the rim, while Adebayos value comes from the range of matchups he can handle across multiple positions.
For Miami, the interesting part is not just where Adebayo was placed, but how the broader perception of these defenders stacks up against what the Heat have seen from their own side of the matchup. The rankings have already sparked debate because Antetokounmpo and Adebayo are widely viewed as one of the leagues stronger defensive frontcourt pairings, and yet the list leaves room for disagreement about how that talent is being weighed. [Read more 🡒]