This NBA offseason was a truly wild ride. Between LeBron James’ decision, the Jaylen Brown trade, and massive extensions for multiple star players, it gave the fans a lot to think about ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. That’s not to mention the Miami Heat, who added Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Klay Thompson.
Tonight was the first official game of the new season, and it gave us the first glimpse of this new-look Heat team in action. Despite being on foreign ground, Miami showed up to dominate, ending with a 129-105 win over the Toronto Raptors. Their offense was cooking all night, shooting 48.8% from the field. The Raptors, meanwhile, were held to 39.8 % shooting, but it came without Kawhi, who skipped the exhibition match.
Greek Freak puttin’ in work in his Heat preseason debut!
He’s got 9 points and 6 assists in 13 minutes…
🇨🇦 NBA Québec City Game on NBA TV pic.twitter.com/Fc31DrjnC4
— NBA (@NBA) October 4, 2026
For Miami, Tim Hardaway Jr. led the way with 14 points on 100% shooting, while Andrew Wiggins was next with 12 points, one rebound, and one steal on 4-6 shooting from the field. RJ Barrett, meanwhile, led all Raptors starters in scoring with 15 points, three rebounds, one assist, and one steal on 3-9 shooting. While it was ultimately a meaningless game for both sides, it’s evidence that the Heat may be poised for a major breakthrough season.
26-27 Heat summed up in one clip.
clamps on defense. run on offense.
pure dominance. get used to it. pic.twitter.com/ACJ1P9713N
— James (@ScriptsByJames) October 3, 2026
For his part, Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with nine points, four rebounds, and seven assists in 14 minutes, going +4 in his preseason debut. It was a rather limited stint, but Giannis looked very comfortable on the floor, getting to his spots with ease while delivering the high-quality defense we’ve come to expect.
“Nine and six in thirteen minutes is a ridiculous preseason start,” wrote one fan. “Giannis bringing that pace to Miami already makes this matchup worth watching.”
To avoid any injuries, head coach Erik Spoelstra limited Giannis’ playing time, but it also meant that everyone got an opportunity to shine. By the end, every player in the rotation had at least seven minutes on the floor, showing a team that’s well-connected, determined, and in great shape ahead of the new season.
“Great game by the Heat. That was a fun one,” one fan wrote. “Good first step. Some things to work on, but overall, good step forward. Forming that chemistry early, everyone looks in shape, and ready for this pace-and-space offense. They always dispelled some narratives as well.”
For the Heat to succeed, they need to properly space the floor around Giannis, and that’s exactly what they did tonight. As a team, they shot 35% from beyond the arc, featuring contributions from multiple role players. Not only did it keep the offense unpredictable, but it enabled the Giannis-Bam two-man game, which was also tested tonight.
“I like how the Heat were stretching the floor, and Bam’s inside-out game. Heat looks good,” posted an X user.
As it stands, the only real concern for the Heat is their lack of ball handlers. While Davion Mitchell will get the start at point guard, he doesn’t quite have the same handle as some of his peers. That much was evident tonight, and it’s why the Heat have been increasingly tied to point guards like Kyrie Irving.
“What I will say about the Miami Heat: this team didn’t invest a ton in ball-handling options around Giannis and Bam,” read one X post. There’s off-ball shooting for sure, which looks really good tonight. But apart from those two and Davion Mitchell, are there enough guys on this team that can navigate in tight spaces, attack, and handle pressure bringing the ball up the floor? That’s the thing I’m watching with Miami even more so than just general offensive concepts w/ Giannis and Bam on the floor.”
So while the Heat are far from a perfectly constructed team, they certainly looked good enough today. Even against a Raptors team without Kawhi, we can call their performance impressive, especially since it’s the first time some of these guys have taken the floor together.
What’s scary is that the Heat will only get better. They have already shown they have the size, talent, and depth to get far in this league, but they must demonstrate the proper discipline and work ethic to truly maximize their potential. Fortunately, Giannis and his teammates have already embraced the grind, and there is a sense that they’ve built something special with his new version of the roster.