{"id":915361,"date":"2026-10-04T02:52:11","date_gmt":"2026-10-04T02:52:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/915361\/"},"modified":"2026-10-04T02:52:11","modified_gmt":"2026-10-04T02:52:11","slug":"nba-fans-react-to-first-glimpse-of-new-look-heat-in-preseason-win-over-raptors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/915361\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Fans React To First Glimpse Of New-Look Heat In Preseason Win Over Raptors"},"content":{"rendered":"

This NBA offseason was a truly wild ride. Between LeBron James\u2019 decision, the Jaylen Brown trade, and massive extensions for multiple star players<\/a>, it gave the fans a lot to think about ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. That\u2019s not to mention the Miami Heat<\/a>, who added Giannis Antetokounmpo<\/a>, Bobby Portis<\/a>, Tim Hardaway Jr.<\/a>, and Klay Thompson<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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<\/a>. 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.<\/p>\n

Greek Freak puttin\u2019 in work in his Heat preseason debut!<\/p>\n

He\u2019s got 9 points and 6 assists in 13 minutes\u2026<\/p>\n

\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 NBA Qu\u00e9bec City Game on NBA TV pic.twitter.com\/Fc31DrjnC4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NBA (@NBA) October 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

For Miami, Tim Hardaway Jr.<\/a> led the way with 14 points on 100% shooting, while Andrew Wiggins<\/a> was next with 12 points, one rebound, and one steal on 4-6 shooting from the field. RJ Barrett<\/a>, 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\u2019s evidence that the Heat may be poised for a major breakthrough season<\/a>.<\/p>\n

26-27 Heat summed up in one clip.<\/p>\n

clamps on defense. run on offense.<\/p>\n

pure dominance. get used to it. pic.twitter.com\/ACJ1P9713N<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 James (@ScriptsByJames) October 3, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u2019ve come to expect.<\/p>\n

\u201cNine and six in thirteen minutes is a ridiculous preseason start,\u201d wrote one fan<\/a>. \u201cGiannis bringing that pace to Miami already makes this matchup worth watching.\u201d<\/p>\n

To avoid any injuries, head coach Erik Spoelstra limited Giannis\u2019 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\u2019s well-connected, determined, and in great shape ahead of the new season.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat game by the Heat. That was a fun one,\u201d one fan wrote<\/a>. \u201cGood 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.\u201d<\/p>\n

For the Heat to succeed, they need to properly space the floor around Giannis, and that\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like how the Heat were stretching the floor, and Bam\u2019s inside-out game. Heat looks good,\u201d posted an X user<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As it stands, the only real concern for the Heat is their lack of ball handlers. While Davion Mitchell<\/a> will get the start at point guard, he doesn\u2019t quite have the same handle as some of his peers. That much was evident tonight, and it\u2019s why the Heat have been increasingly tied to point guards like Kyrie Irving<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I will say about the Miami Heat: this team didn\u2019t invest a ton in ball-handling options around Giannis and Bam,\u201d read one X post. There\u2019s 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\u2019s the thing I\u2019m watching with Miami even more so than just general offensive concepts w\/ Giannis and Bam on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\u2019s the first time some of these guys have taken the floor together.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s 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\u2019ve built something special with his new version of the roster.<\/p>\n