The Miami Heat survived 101-99 against the New Orleans Pelicans after being ahead by as many as 20 late in the third quarter. Pelle Larsson hit two clutch free throws with 6.6 seconds left after Jordan Hawkins fouled him while trying to catch a pass from Josh Christopher. Larsson's composure sealed the win for the Heat.
Through two preseason games, now 1-1, the Heat have showcased some surprising performances and lineups. With some players exceeding expectations while others have underperformed, which Heat players and units are trending up or down? Let's find out.
Stock Up
The Rozier-Herro Backcourt
The Rozier-Herro pairing has been limited to just 11 games, but they looked strong today. Both players shot 50 percent from the field and beyond the arc, as Rozier chipped in 11 points and Herro led all of Miami's starters with 12. Their spacing of the floor and ability to score on all three levels was highly evident.
With consistent, multiple-level scorers like these two around Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the Heat offense will be far tougher to defend. That became pretty apparent against a strong Pelicans defense.
Duncan Robinson's place in the rotation
The signing of Alec Burks during the offseason made many question if Robinson could retain his place in rotation - a fact that got cemented after Burks' perfect shooting outing against the Hornets.
Robinson answered all those questions when he went up against the Pelicans. Shooting 63 percent from the field and 50 percent beyond the arc, Robinson proved his improvement went beyond the perimeter shooting. Off-ball movement, cuts to the basket, and noticeably improved ball handling have been crucial in his game.
When this production level from Robinson can be sustained, his 3-point shot will be even harder to defend given that defenses must account for his added offensive versatility.
Stock Down
The Young Players
The preseason is usually the time when young and unproven players prove that they deserve to be on an NBA roster. While the Heat have been finding hidden gems that went undrafted for years now, no one has stepped up yet.
With 2:26 remaining in the third quarter of Sunday's contest, Miami leading 78-61, a lineup of Kel'el Ware, Larsson, Christopher, Zyon Pullin, and Little checked in. But despite being ahead by a comfortable margin, that unit fared terribly - ending the night with a combined plus/minus of -15 and shooting an horrendous 21 percent from the field, including an abysmal 1-of-16 from three. The Heat barely held on, and the game came down to a late foul by Hawkins.
This unit must be better on both ends of the floor, especially in one where Miami controlled the tempo for the majority of the night. When they can't improve, it might make things interesting concerning the rotation decisions.
Hopefully, some of them, or guys who didn’t see the court Sunday, such as Keshad Johnson or Isaiah Stevens, finally step up and show why Miami gave them the opportunity in the first place.