After missing out on the playoffs for the first time in seven seasons, it seemed as if everyone in the Heat organization was excited to try and get back to winning. The team’s primary focus this summer seemed to be bonding, after adding a few new faces in the offseason. The Heat used everything from workouts to barbeques in order to spend more time as a unit and build the bond that a lot championship teams possess.
Before even thinking about championships, however, the Heat would need to take its first step in the long journey that is an NBA season against the Charlotte Hornets. Miami had a lot to be excited about coming into this game. Chris Bosh and Josh McRoberts were back and healthy, Dwyane Wade and Goran Dragic both re-signed, and there are new faces on the bench that many hope will help the Heat become one of the deepest teams in the league.
In what was maybe the most important moment of the night, Chris Bosh was treated to a nice ovation in his return after missing the second half of last season because of blood clots on his lung.
Hassan Whiteside sat out due to a strained right calf, so the Heat would still not get a glimpse of its starting five on the floor at the same time. Goran Dragic, Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Chris Bosh, and Udonis Haslem were the Heat starters.
As expected in preseason games, this one started sloppy. The Heat turned the ball over six times in the first six minutes, and did not make a field goal until the 8:46 mark when Luol Deng hit a jumper as he was fouled. The Heat eventually got it together and put together a pretty good quarter offensively, shooting 50 percent, with assists on seven of the eight made field goals. Bosh made all three of his attempts in the quarter, scoring seven points to go with two rebounds and an assist.
Gerald Green, who Miami just signed in the offseason, was the first off the bench for the Heat, followed by the return of Josh McRoberts and other new signee Amar'e Stoudemire.
Right away fans were treated to a perfectly executed pick and roll with Stoudemire and Dragic, showing very early how dangerous that play can be within the Heat’s offense. Gerald Green also made an impact, showing off his athleticism on his was to six points, two rebounds, one steal, and one block in the first half.
Heat rookie Justise Winslow got his first NBA points on a layup in the second quarter, showing off size and strength as he knocked down the defender in the process. He scored again in transition as Dragic found him cutting to the basket for a powerful dunk. These were Winslow’s only two made field goals of the game.
Bosh led the charge offensively for the Heat in the first half, only missing one shot on his way to 12 points and six rebounds.
The Heat trailed the Hornets 49-46 after two quarters strictly because of turnovers and fouls. The Hornets had six steals and shot 21 first half free throws.
The offense started to spread a little more in the second half, with Deng and Wade getting nice looks and hitting shots early. McRoberts made some excellent passes and showed he can make an impact with the second unit. His court vision is truly great and he should be able to create easy points for his teammates.
After trailing by as much as 10 in the first half, the Heat took the lead midway through the third quarter. This would be the last time they led, however, as Charlotte’s guards found ways to consistently score the ball throughout the game.
The Heat made a mini run early in the fourth quarter led by Stoudemire, Green and Winslow, but could never quite get over the hump. Charlotte held on to win by a final score of 90-77 improving to 2-0 in the preseason. Miami falls to 0-1.
Bosh finished with 14 points and six rebounds to lead the Heat. Kemba Walker had 17 points for the Hornets and Brian Roberts added 21.
The big story of this game for the Heat was how well Bosh, Green and Stoudemire played. They were the offense for the Heat, and it’s a great sign to see Bosh play this well so early in his return. It's also good to see Green and Stoudemire making such an impact off the bench, and there has to be hope that the Heat’s second unit can make a serious impact in games this season.
The big problem for Miami this season will be three-point shooting, and that was extremely evident in this game. The Heat shot an awful 3 of 16 from deep and that has to be somewhat concerning.
Rookie Justise Winslow was 0 of 3 on three-point attempts, and he didn’t make a shot outside of a layup and dunk. However, outside of the poor shooting, he looked comfortable on the floor. He made good decisions, did a little bit of everything, and didn’t turn the ball over, so there are positive things to take away. He also attempted eight free throws, which shows even when shots aren’t falling, he can find a way to score points.
It’s the first preseason game. There are seven more that don’t count, and then 82 that do. This was the first look at the Heat, and there was both good and bad. You should take a lot that happens in the preseason, especially game one, with a grain of salt. It's just too early to declare which teams will be good or bad in what areas, especially with a team like the Heat with so many new faces.
The Heat will look to bounce back on October 7th in a meeting with the Orlando Magic.