The Miami Heat cruised to a 129-105 preseason victory over the Toronto Raptors in Quebec City, Canada, to open the NBA's preseason slate. It was the debut of Giannis Antetokounmpo that made the headlines for the Heat, but there were certainly many more takeaways that Erik Spoelstra and the Heat can take into the second week of the exhibition schedule.
Before putting this first preseason game to bed, let's take a look at five things that stood out for the Heat.
Giannis changes this entire offense amid the growing pains
The efficiency. The spacing. The gravity. It was only one simulated half, but the evidence was undeniable. And this is just the start. The Heat with Giannis is only going to get better and more comfortable. The fact that they looked so good in their first preseason game together is certainly a good sign.
It was far from a perfect run for the new-look Heat, but there was plenty for Spoelstra to feel awfully good about. Giannis finished with nine points, seven assists, and four rebounds in just 14 minutes of action. Perhaps most importantly, he looked comfortable by his second stint with the regulars.
I'm sure there will be more growing pains, but the Heat should feel encouraged by what they saw from Giannis during this first preseason outing.
Pelle Larsson might be the backup point guard (until Dru Smith returns)
With Dru Smith out with an injury, the Heat's first preseason game was a good opportunity for Spoelstra to experiment with the backup point guard position. And that's what we saw when he called on Pelle Larsson to lead the second unit.
It's still very early, but perhaps there was a lot more to that media day comment from Larsson about the thought that he'd play some point guard this season. This could certainly change once Smith returns from his injury, but Larsson did pass the first test as the backup point guard, finishing with 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists.
Tim Hardaway Jr. might be in the perfect role
Giannis aside, Tim Hardaway Jr. may have had the best preseason showing on the Heat. Quietly, Hardaway Jr. came in and did exactly what the team needs him to do. He was a microwave scorer off the bench, looking extremely comfortable in this role every step of the way.
Hardaway Jr. finished with 14 points on a perfect 4-for-4 shooting from the field. In many ways, this role that the Heat is asking of him might be the best one for him. As almost every other newcomer on the Heat's roster is still working through what their role will look like this season, Hardaway Jr. already looks locked in on his role after just the first preseason game.
Klay Thompson may need some time to gel
At least on the offensive end, I think it's safe to assume that Klay Thompson is going to need some time to gel in the Heat's offense. And that's OK. That's because if the Heat's first preseason game is any indication, Klay is going to dig in and take pride on the other end of the floor as well.
Even though Klay had a difficult time on the offensive end of the floor, finishing 0-for-2 from the field in his 13 scoreless minutes, he did have a few strong reps on defense. Especially for this team, that's huge. The offense is going to come as things begin to flow better overall, but if Klay is embracing a defensive mindset again, that could be the ultimate difference-maker for Miami.
The Heat's supporting cast is deeper than most believe it to be
It may have just been one preseason game, but the Heat's supporting cast looks a lot deeper than what many believed it would be. The narrative all offseason long revolved around how the Heat didn't have a strong enough supporting cast around Giannis and how their shooting and playmaking, specifically, would be their ultimate downfall.
At least through the first preseason game, that didn't seem like much of an issue.
A lot can change between now and the start of the regular season, and it was just preseason, but the Heat's "others" certainly looked good enough. If the Heat can remain healthy, there's reason to believe that this team is going to continue surprising many of their naysayers.
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