The preseason is officially underway for the Miami Heat. They took on the Atlanta Hawks in their first game just a few days ago.
Miami ended up taking home the win in that one, with Tyler Herro leading the way with a massive first-quarter performance. He popped off for 26 points on the night, leading all scorers.
Now, he and the rest of the team will look to keep that momentum going against the Houston Rockets. Houston took down the Washington Wizards in their first preseason game.
Miami Heat vs Houston Rockets preseason preview: Info & recent games
Info
The game tips off at 10:00 p.m. (EST), a particularly late start for Miami Heat fans. It will be broadcasted mainly on ESPN2, or on the NBA with certain subscriptions.
Unlike the first game, Miami will be on the road in this one, heading into the Toyota Center. This is the first of two road games for the Miami Heat before they head back to FTX Arena on Monday, October 1.
Recent games
As mentioned, the Miami Heat blew out the Atlanta Hawks in their first preseason game. While Tyler Herro led the way, there were a few players who stood out in particular.
Kyle Lowry played a huge part in Miami’s early success. He dropped seven assists in his debut for the Heat and showed why he’ll be worth the massive contract they gave him.
Caleb Martin also showed out, scoring 10 points. Meanwhile, both Gabe Vincent and Max Strus put together impressive performances off the bench as well.
Meanwhile, Kevin Porter Jr led the Rockets in scoring in their first game, tallying 25 points. He also had five assists and four rebounds in the win.
Rookie Josh Christopher also made a big-time impact in limited minutes. He entered the game in the fourth quarter and helped the Rockets mount their comeback.
Miami Heat vs Houston Rockets preseason preview: Injuries
Unfortunately, the Miami Heat injury report does not look as clean as it did for their first preseason game. They have a few players listed this time around.
According to Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald, Marcus Garrett (back spasms), Caleb Martin (ankle sprain), and Gabe Vincent (groin strain) are all listed as questionable.
Chiang also made note that PJ Tucker was not listed on the report. He was listed as questionable not too long ago while dealing with a groin issue.
Both Udonis Haslem and Victor Oladipo are out as well. Haslem is still grieving after the recent death of his father, while Oladipo is still on the road to recovery after missing the end of last season.
Jimmy Butler’s status could also be up in the air. Chiang did not report on his injury report status, but ESPN lists him as day-to-day after he missed the last game.
As for the Houston Rockets, they have a very clear injury report. John Wall is the only player who is listed as out, according to Alykhan Bijani of The Athletic.
These injuries foretell a very youthful game, as both teams’ young players will likely have the chance to shine. Houston’s young guns played very well last game, and as the preseason goes on, one can only assume Erik Spoelstra will begin to give the younger players more run.
Miami Heat vs Houston Rockets preseason preview: Game preview
The Miami Heat will look to build off of their impressive win tonight. Though it is just the preseason, the Heat are clearly not looking to lose based on their performance in their first game.
With the number of injuries, don’t be surprised to see some new faces get some playing time. Most of the training camp players didn’t see the floor last game, but that may not be the case tonight.
Players such as Dru Smith, Javonte Smart, Micah Potter, and DJ Stewart could all get a decent amount of playing time. Though there’s very little chance they make the final roster, it’s still a good opportunity for them to prove their worth.
Meanwhile, one other player to look out for is Max Strus. As previously mentioned, he shot the ball very well in the first game and will be looking to further cement his spot in the rotation with another solid performance tonight.
As for Houston, they have an extremely young basketball team. They are likely using this preseason to decide which young players deserve regular-season minutes.
Also, keep in mind that even though the Miami Heat are the better team on paper, that doesn’t mean this will be an easy game for them. Since the Rockets are so young, their players are going to be hungry and trying their hardest tonight.
Hopefully, the Miami Heat are able to keep up the same intensity they had in their first preseason game. That is going to be a major key to taking home a win tonight.