The Miami Heat opened their preseason with a win, defeating the Toronto Raptors 129-105. The game marked Giannis Antetokounmpo’s debut in a Heat jersey, with the Greek immediately involved in Erik Spoelstra’s offensive system.
Antetokounmpo finished his first outing with 9 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists in just over 14 minutes, immediately showing the impact he can have on his new team. Toronto tried to pack the paint against his drives, but Antetokounmpo used the defensive attention to create numerous opportunities for his teammates.
Miami took a 76-55 lead into halftime, shooting 11-of-23 from three-point range and recording 19 assists on 22 made field goals. Andrew Wiggins scored 12 points with four three-pointers, while Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 14 points and a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. Pelle Larsson also made a strong impact, scoring 13 points while going 7-of-7 from the free-throw line.
After halftime, Spoelstra gave extended minutes to the bench players and younger members of the roster, with Miami’s offensive pace inevitably slowing down. The Heat nevertheless remained in control throughout the second half to secure the 129-105 victory.
Beyond the result, the first preseason game offered some interesting indications of how Miami’s offense could work this season. Antetokounmpo’s ability to draw multiple defenders and find shooters on the perimeter already meshed well with players such as Klay Thompson, Wiggins and Bam Adebayo. Defensively, Miami also showed a willingness to switch frequently, taking advantage of the versatility provided by the Adebayo-Antetokounmpo frontcourt.
Miami Heat – player statistics
Miami Heat: Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 14 points, 3-of-3 from three-point range and 3-of-3 from the free-throw line; Pelle Larsson had 13 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists; Andrew Wiggins scored 12 points and grabbed 1 rebound; Nikola Jović recorded 11 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists; Bam Adebayo had 10 points and 6 rebounds; Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 9 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists; Ryan Conwell scored 6 points with 1 rebound and 2 assists; Tre Donaldson had 6 points and 5 assists; Myron Gardner recorded 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists; Simone Fontecchio had 4 points, 2 rebounds and 1 assist; Bobby Portis Jr. finished with 4 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists; Davion Mitchell had 3 points, 1 rebound and 4 assists; J’Vonne Hadley scored 2 points and grabbed 6 rebounds; Nick Richards had 7 rebounds; Klay Thompson finished with 2 rebounds.
Toronto Raptors: RJ Barrett had 15 points, 3 rebounds and 1 assist; Scottie Barnes scored 11 points with 2 rebounds and 2 assists; Jakob Poeltl finished with 9 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist; Tyreke Key scored 15 points and grabbed 1 rebound; Chucky Hepburn recorded 11 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists; Jaden Bradley had 9 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists; Malachi Smith scored 7 points, with 4 rebounds and 2 assists; Collin Murray-Boyles finished with 6 points, 9 rebounds and 1 assist; Nimari Burnett had 6 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists; Immanuel Quickley scored 5 points, with 2 rebounds and 3 assists; Vladislav Goldin had 6 points and 1 rebound; Jamal Shead finished with 3 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists.
Miami Heat 129-105 Toronto Raptors
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