The Miami Heat’s 2024-25 schedule is out, and here are some of the things that jump out right away, including some important stretches, matchups and reunions with former players and rivals.
The Heat will open the 2024-25 season at home against a division rival.
The Heat will open the season on Oct. 23 at home against the Orlando Magic.
After going 1-4 to start last season, the Heat will face a relatively easy stretch to open the 2024-25 slate, starting with a home game against the Magic and followd by the Charlotte Hornets on the road, the Detroit Pistsons and New York Knicks at home, and then facing the Washington Wizards in Mexico City.
The Heat's national TV presence isn't what it used to be.
After making 16 national TV appearances last season (on TNT, ESPN and ABC), the Heat will be featured just seven times on national TV in 2024-25.
Nov. 26 vs Milwaukee Bucks (TNT)
Jan. 15 at Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN)
Jan. 23 at Milwaukee Bucks (TNT)
Feb. 23 at Milwaukee Bucks (ESPN)
March 5 at Cleveland Cavaleirs (ESPN)
March 17 at New York Knicks (ESPN)
April 2 at Boston Celtics (ESPN)
The Heat will also have six games aired on NBA TV.
The drop in national presence isn’t surprising. Unlike last season, the Heat are not coming off a miraculous run to the NBA Finals that earned them a spot in many national TV slots, including the league’s Christmas Day showcase.
Instead, they ended the 2023-24 season with a listless first-round exit to the Boston Celtics. Without any major additions over the summer, there’s little reason for the NBA to feature the Heat on the national TV schedule.
First matchup against the champs
The Heat will face the reigning champion Boston Celtics on Dec. 2 in Boston.
The Celtics defeated the injury-riddled Heat in the first round of the playoffs en route to their eventual NBA championship. The Heat were without Jimmy Butler (knee), Terry Rozier (neck) and Duncan Robinson (back) for the series and lost in five games, getting out-scored by a total of 78 points.
Both teams return mostly unchanged. The Celtics managed to keep their championship group together and the Heat failed to make a major addition to the roster.
This will be an important measuring stick game for the Heat, who went 0-3 against the Celtics last regular season.
Start working on the ‘Thank You’ video
The Heat will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Nov. 18, welcoming Caleb Martin back to Kaseya Center after Martin signed with the Sixers this summer.
Martin left the Heat after declining a long-term extension, opting instead to test free agency. Martin ultimately signed a four-year, $35 million deal with Miami’s Eastern Conference rival. The Sixers also made the biggest signing of the offseason by adding Paul George on a maximum contract and look poised to make a run at the conference finals.
Longest homestand
The Heat have a pair of five-game homestands, both in March, a month when 12 of their 17 games will be played at Kaseya Center.
The first is from March 7-14, against the Timberwolves, Bulls, Hornets, Clippers and Celtics. The second stretch goes from March 19-27, against the Pistons, Rockets, Hornets, Warriors and Hawks.
Longest trip
The Heat will be away from home for six straight games, from Nov. 6-17. They’ll play in Phoenix, Denver, Minnesota, Detroit and Indiana twice. It’s a tough stretch early in the season against three Western playoff teams and a Pacers team coming off a trip of the Eastern Conference finals.
Back to backs
The Heat have 15 back-to-backs -- two more than the 13 back-to-back sets of last season. Especially tough back-to-backs include Nov. 17-18 at Indiana and then at home against the 76ers, and from Feb. 12-13 on the road against the Thunder and Mavericks.