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Miami Heat: 3 things fans should watch for in 2018-19

By Rahmeaun Rahming

MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Atlanta Hawks on October 12, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - OCTOBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Atlanta Hawks on October 12, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Atlanta Hawks on October 12, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat looks on against the Atlanta Hawks on October 12, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /

With the Miami Heat tipping off their 2018-19 campaign tonight, here are some things fans should expect this season.

Hello, and welcome to the start of the NBA season for Heat Nation. I hope that yesterday’s games were entertaining enough, while you waited for some Miami Heat Basketball.

The good news is, the wait is finally over. Because tonight, the team is tipping off another year, starting with a road game against the Orlando Magic. The Heat, who went 2-2 against the Magic last season, edged them out 90-89 earlier this month on October 8, during preseason play.

Miami finished preseason 3-3, essentially using the six games to not just test drive the likes of Briante Weber and Jarnell Stokes, as well as ease regularly contracted guys like Derrick Jones Jr. back into the grind after injury, but as a way for head coach Erik Spoelstra to fine tune some of his rotations.

With heavy hitters such as James Johnson and Dion Waiters still rehabbing, uncertain as to when they’ll get the green light to re-join the squad, and Wayne Ellington himself missing all of preseason, Spoelstra once again unfortunately has the burden of starting the year having to rework lineups that he may have thought were set in stone.

Still, there were plenty of positives that came out of preseason.

Hassan Whiteside returning to peak form, for starters.

He was getting it in on both ends of the floor, going hard in the paint offensively and fighting for rebounds on defense. His energy was up, the motivation was there, and he genuinely looked to be enjoying himself; all of which was a welcome change of pace from the Whiteside fans saw during last year’s playoffs.

So what’s next for the Heat?

Here, I’ll lay out for you three things to watch out for from the team in 2018-19… besides the win-loss column, of course.

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