Miami Heat: 3 must-watch games in the 2018-19 season

The Miami Heat have at least a few contests to look forward to.

Rifle through the Miami Heat’s upcoming 2018-19 schedule and it becomes apparent that the NBA expects little from the team.

Snubbed on Opening Night, Snubbed on Christmas Day, Miami will be featured in just 11 nationally televised contests. That’s a far cry from the Los Angeles Lakers’ 43 games, thanks to the LeBron James’ arrival.

But worry not, Heat fans. Though national audiences won’t be up to speed with Miami’s brand of basketball, the Heat have at least a few games that will surly be DVR-worthy.

Last season, Miami impressed on a number of occasions.

In late November 2017, Miami was the first team to end the Boston Celtics’ 16-game win streak. Then, a month later, the Heat took part in a global celebration of the NBA, playing the Brooklyn Nets in Mexico City.

Miami won’t be professing the NBA’s global initiatives this season, but Heat Basketball will surely amuse with a handful of games. And with a fully healthy roster, expect a few more late pushes and game winners, than in seasons’ past.

Wednesday, December 12 at Utah Jazz

Miami only play the Utah Jazz twice in any given season, thanks to the division of NBA conferences. Their first away matchup, however, could stand as one of Miami’s most raucous of the year.

When the Heat visited Salt Lake City last season, Jazz fans found a new reason to hold a grudge against Miami.

As the clock ticked past the 4:00 minute mark in the third quarter, Dion Waiters lunged towards an errant ball. A seemingly routine hustle play, Waiters’ back met Rudy Gobert’s knee, toppling the French national and limiting his run for the rest of the night.

As for the rest of the story, perspectives differ depending on the narrator.

For Heat fans, Waiters continued to have one of his most electric nights, scoring 12 points on 80 percent shooting in the fourth quarter.

For the Jazz, the rest of the game is remembered as the night Utah’s season was thought to be derailed. Gobert missed the next 11 games with a bone bruise to his left knee.

Whether the injury on Waiters’ part was intentional or not, karma eventually caught up, sidelining him for the rest of the season, after he had to undergo ankle surgery.

With any luck, Gobert and Waiters will be fully healthy 13 days before Christmas, as a Heat team looks to continue its winning streak in Salt Lake City.

Tip-off starts at 9:00 PM ET.

Sunday, November 25 at Toronto Raptors

Miami has a legacy to uphold against the Toronto Raptors.

Over the last two seasons, the Heat have fought tooth and nail against the Raptors, sending regular season contests into overtime and pushing playoff series to seven games.

The beef between the two organizations is heated, if a bit unlikely.

Canadians are heralded for their generally mild-mannered nature. while residents of South Beach are known for their tendency to arrive to games late.

But on the cour,t any pretense of respect is hurled out of the nearest emergency exit. The Heat-Raptors rivalry has given birth to mini-squabbles: Hassan Whiteside versus Jonas Valanciunas, Goran Dragic versus DeMar DeRozan and James Johnson versus Serge Ibaka.

Although DeRozan is no longer a factor following his trade to the San Antonio Spurs, the Raptors newest acquisition, Kawhi Leonard, will make for an entertaining matchup.

Not one to over-emote on the court (or off it for that matter), Leonard presents a difficult cover for the Heat. His length will invite a revolving door defensive system that will likely see Johnson, Justise Winslow, Josh Richardson and even Bam Adebayo spend time on the San Diego State alum.

Miami and the Raptors are both trying to turn the corner in the Eastern Conference, after James’ departure from Cleveland. With four matchups between the two during the regular season, expect a few thrown elbows, quick ejections and last-second heaves.

Tip-off begins at 6:00 PM ET.

Friday, February 8, 2018 at Sacramento Kings

(Wait a second, even with the addition of Marvin Bagley III, there’s no way this will be a good game…)

Yes, as far as roster construction is concerned, the Sacramento Kings development has been a dumpster fire for more than a decade.

(Hat’s off to the organization however, for giving back to the local community).

But more important than any Heat-Kings rivalry, is the significance of the day. February 8 marks Miami’s first game after the 2019 NBA trade deadline.

For all the talk about swapping Whiteside for Tristan Thompson, or sending Waiters and Tyler Johnson packing, the game against the Kings might be Miami’s first look at what their playoff roster could be.

As of August 2018, Miami is over the 2018-19 luxury tax. The $126 million owed to its players is anchored by some $44 million for the Johnson-Whiteside duo.

Assuming Heat owner Mickey Arison doesn’t want to pay up for a roster that took just one game in the 2018 NBA Playoffs, expecting Miami to make a move before the deadline is as likely.

The details of that move, however, are anyone’s guess. Sending Whiteside or Johnson, or both, packing is certainly the move for the financial future, with both players on the books through 2020.

But if team president Pat Riley can make a competitive-minded move come February, maybe Arison absorbs the tax if it helps push the Heat deep into the post-season.

Regardless, Miami’s bout with the Kings will be the benchmark for the rest of the year.

Tip-off begins at 10:00 PM ET.

It’s only a matter of time before NBA Basketball is back.