MEMPHIS – Even as Miami Heat players awoke Thursday to the news of teammate Terry Rozier being arrested in a federal gambling probe, there also was the reality of the NBA continuum. So on to Memphis for a midday flight it was.
The Heat took flight in the wake of Wednesday night’s season-opening 125-121 loss to the Orlando Magic at Kia Center, a game they led 107-99 in the fourth quarter.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he saw strides, with more still needed, as his team moves on for Friday night’s game against the Grizzlies at FedExForum.
“I’m encouraged by more things than not from this game,” he said. “And I’m not looking for moral victories, but there’s definitely things that we can build on.”
That there were, including a breakthrough performance from guard Davion Mitchell, who tied Tim Hardaway’s franchise opening-night record of 12 assists.
“He’s just building off of what he did last year,” Spoelstra said, with Mitchell acquired in February’s trade of Jimmy Butler and then signed in the offseason to a two-year, $24 million contract in free agency. “He’s really an underrated playmaker. Getting into the paint. He can make threes. He loves to set up guys. It’s good to see him back in that kind of form.”
Mitchell, who also closed with 16 points, six rebounds and two steals, downplayed the assist record, considering it came in a loss.
“I got a lot of scorers around me,” he said. “They make the game a lot easier for me. You got guys who make plays. I have some really good players around me.”
As for Spoelstra’s perspective on more still being needed, newcomer Norman Powell was in agreement.
“Yeah, definitely,” Powell said, after closing with a game-high 28 points. “I don’t do moral victories, either. It is either we win or lose.
“But every game, whether you win or lose, it’s going to have things that you did well, things that you can build on, and things you gotta get better. Just because we could have walked out of here with a ‘W’, doesn’t mean that there aren’t any areas we don’t need to improve on.”
Where’s Ware?
In a game decided in part by late offensive rebounds by the Magic, Heat 7-footer Kel’el Ware was held out for the final 8:02 Wednesday night, playing only 13:48 overall.
Spoelstra said it was a matter of not wanting to reinsert Ware after so much time on the bench,
“I had Kel’el out for too long,” said Spoelstra, who instead closed with 6-6 Jaime Jaquez Jr. at power forward. “And we trusted the group that we had out there and the decision-making and all these little nuances.
“But Kel’el will get there. He’ll get there. We’re going to continue to fast-track him.”
Ware closed with seven points and four rebounds. Jaquez continued his solid play from the preseason, going 29:49 and closing with 13 points, six rebounds and two steals.
Powell said size shouldn’t matter in such critical rebounding moments.
“A lot of teams might have size on us,” he said, “but if we box out and take away their ability to jump — contact negates height.
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“So we just got to be the more physical, dominant, mentally focused team to go secure those long rebounds and defensive rebounds.”
Mitchell agreed, “I blame myself, starting with me without the boxout with me and Wendell (Carter Jr.). I have to win that one on one. He ended up getting that rebound. They end up getting momentum. They came down and got some key rebounds and kind of got some free throws and take away the game.”
Powell noted
Spoelstra said it was important that Powell’s Heat debut not be overshadowed.
“He’s explosive,” Spoelstra said. “You just really like the way he’s on the move. He’s a moving target. It’s tough to get a body on him. He can drive. He obviously can shoot from three. He just does it in a lot of different ways.
“Norm’s probably been the most comfortable after training camp, but other guys now are starting to get in a rhythm and hopefully that’s going to be a snowball rolling down the hill.”
