The signs that Heat coach Erik Spoelstra was only going to push so far in Friday night\u2019s exhibition finale came before the game, midway through the opening period and then at the start of the second half.<\/p>\n
With Bam Adebayo back in South Florida with a groin injury, Spoelstra decided that even with Giannis Antetokounmpo with the team in Orlando, there was no need to put his leading man through this.<\/p>\n
Then, with 4:34 to play in the opening period and his starters dominating against an opponent the Heat couldn\u2019t beat in five tries last season, Spoelstra subbed out that entire unit.<\/p>\n
By the third quarter, all of the Heat\u2019s starters were done for the night, even as the Magic played on with their primary rotation.<\/p>\n
That it didn\u2019t go well in the 136-115 loss to the Magic at Kia Center clearly did not matter nearly as much to Spoelstra as what actually will matter on Wednesday night, when the Heat open the franchise\u2019s 39th season against the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cOrlando competed and played very well, particularly those last three quarters,\u201d Spoelstra said. \u201cBut these last 20 days have been very productive for our basketball team. I\u2019m encouraged in the direction we\u2019re going.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think everybody\u2019s ready to get started on Wednesday. We have a quality opponent coming in, and it\u2019ll be Wednesday Night Lights. I think everybody\u2019s excited about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Among those expected to be in the Heat\u2019s primary rotation come opening night, the Heat got 13 points from Andrew Wiggins, 12 apiece from Bobby Portis and Nikola Jovic, and seven points and five assists from Davion Mitchell. All were limited to 15 minutes of action.<\/p>\n
Wiggins said the preseason heightened hope.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like with every game, it\u2019s just been getting better,\u201d he said. \u201cChemistry\u2019s been building.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Heat also got 21 points from Ryan Conwell and nine points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes from Nick Richards.<\/p>\n
Conwell said his first NBA preseason was all he could have hoped for.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got some great vets for me, so they make it easy for me,\u201d said the second-round pick out of Louisville in June\u2019s draft. \u201cI just got to come in every day and work hard and learn. That\u2019s what I\u2019ve been trying to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the Magic, there were 24 points from Paolo Banchero and 23 from Desmond Bane.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll get our defense right and ready for Wednesday night,\u201d Spoelstra said.<\/p>\n
Five Degrees of Heat from Friday\u2019s exhibition:<\/p>\n
1. For starters: Although he traveled, Antetokounmpo was announced as sitting out 90 minutes before tipoff. That was with Adebayo and Dru Smith (calf) not traveling, and with Pelle Larsson (illness) still out.<\/p>\n
That had Portis and Jovic starting in place of Adebayo and Antetokounmpo, in a starting lineup rounded out by Wiggins, Mitchell and Klay Thompson.<\/p>\n
Also held out was Ezra Ausar, signed Thursday as a means of funneling him to the Heat\u2019s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.<\/p>\n