The Miami Heat lost their final home preseason game, 107-104, to the Brooklyn Nets in a tough game that came down to the final few possessions.
Heat supporters at the Kaseya Center hoped to see the club force overtime, and they nearly got their wish when Nikola Jovic was fouled at the three-point line with around six seconds left. However, the Nets disputed the call and prevailed, resulting in a jump ball at half-court. The Heat would win, but they wouldn’t be able to get a good shot off as time expired.
Nikola Jovic fouled and will take three shots. All three made will result in a tie game. #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/r9li0X2pyH
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) October 19, 2023
Final moments of the game. Miami loses in the home preseason finale to the Nets, 107-104. #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/Iyk8a8dQdM
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) October 19, 2023
As ClutchPoints wrote before the game, the Heat were missing a slew of starters, allowing the team to showcase more of their youthful players, particularly at the end of the game.
According to the team’s X (previously known as Twitter) website, here’s who was missing from the Heat’s roster against the Nets and why:
“RJ Hampton (hip), Tyler Herro (thigh), Caleb Martin (knee), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (groin), Jimmy Butler (return to competition conditioning) and Kevin Love (allow others the opportunity to play) have all been ruled out of tonight’s preseason game vs the Nets.”
In addition, Kyle Lowry missed the game to allow others to play, and Josh Richardson exited the game early with a right foot injury and did not return.
Here are three things to remember from the preseason loss:
Bam Adebayo with a solid game, working on his mechanics
Bam Adebayo is best known as a powerful defensive player who is also capable on the offensive side of the ball. Despite the fact that he’s been in the league for six seasons, there’s a chance he’ll make another move.
In 15 minutes of action, he finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and three assists. The one feature that stuck out was his mid-range shot, which was definitely a focus for Adebayo during the off-season. Hitting those on a regular basis can make him even more dangerous and unpredictable, as he’s already excellent defensively and sturdy around the basket with the ball in his hands.
He had a career-high 20.4 points per game last season. If he increases that, the Heat will become more dangerous, and he will add another layer to his game. Against the Nets, defenders were second-guessing Adebayo’s path, which rarely resulted in a contested mid-range shot since they expected him to drive to the basket. It’ll be fascinating to observe how his shot evolves in his eighth season.
Another big game for Cole Swider
Cole Swider has been an entertaining player for the Heat in training camp and especially in the preseason, and he demonstrated that again Wednesday night against the Nets. He finished with 15 points, tying the team lead, shot 50 percent from the field, and converted three of his eight three-point attempts.
Duncan Robinson has struggled in the preseason, and he hit 1 for 6 from deep tonight. With the Heat possessing Swider, he took over as the team’s primary three-point shooter in the game. Granted, it is still the preseason, and the games are meaningless. However, it’s difficult not to see his potential and believe that Miami has secured another dynamic deep-ball shooter.
How did the other young guys like Nikola Jovic and Dru Smith play?
The youthful guys represent the “lifeblood” of the squad, as head coach Erik Spoelstra told ClutchPoints before the game. Heat fans are ecstatic about Nikola Jovic, who finished with nine points and five rebounds. As the preseason has proven, he is still a work in progress, but he can improve his talents throughout the season.
Asked Miami Heat HC Erik Spoelstra about the absences of starters and if there is a bright side to that so they can see more of the young guys.
His response: #HeatCulture pic.twitter.com/31elHCWJPz
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) October 18, 2023
Dru Smith played as a point guard for a long time during the game tonight since Kyle Lowry wasn’t available, and Josh Richardson had to leave early due to an injury. Smith played close to 28 minutes and ended up scoring nine points and making 10 assists, which was his best performance in the preseason. His 10 assists were particularly impressive, showcasing his abilities in a position the Heat desperately needs to fill. Other young players such as Justin Champagnie and Orlando Robinson also had a good game and are competing for a spot on the roster. With most of the young players putting in a great effort on the court, Spoelstra will face a difficult decision when it comes to finalizing the roster. The Heat’s final preseason game is on Friday, and they will be playing against the Houston Rockets.
