The Miami Heat (1-1) claimed their first victory of the regular season on Saturday night against the Charlotte Hornets (1-2), 114-106.
Here’s a look at four of the biggest takeaways from the evening:
1. Jimmy Butler recovers from sour start to season
Butler’s opening night was disappointing, especially after most anticipated a monster campaign out of the gates in his contract year. Heat fans can seemingly take a sigh of relief as that version of the veteran star still exists. He finished with 26 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, and two steals on 46.7 percent shooting in 36 minutes of action. It’s worth noting the performance was not perfect with six missed free throws and a scoreless first quarter, but it was a massive step up from his first game.
2. Is Bam Adebayo becoming too comfortable on offense?
More than anything, Adebayo is the anchor of the Heat’s defense. That doesn’t mean scoring is ignored, but he needs to approach the offense with a pass-first mentality if the Heat continue playing him on the outside. He recorded nine points on just five shots in the season opener, which spiked to 12 points on 6 of 17 shooting on Saturday. Finding a balance between these two performances can lead to some greater offensive stability for Miami.
3. Tyler Herro and Terry Rozier appear ready to lead an efficient offense.
Combining for 41 points on 14 of 27 shooting is a promising sign for one of the NBA’s most doubted backcourts. Herro came forth with great confidence in the offseason, and rightfully so. If he placed a question mark in he and Rozier’s heads, things may have gone sideways to start the season. Instead, the two appear solidified as the starting guards despite some defensive woes.
4. LaMelo Ball has an All-Star spot with his name on it if he remains healthy.
Ball is yet to play a strong defensive backcourt, with the Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, and Heat as his three matchups. Still, no one disagrees with the idea of a healthy version earning a spot in the All-Star Game. He tallied less than 30 points for the first time this year against the Heat, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists.
The Heat return to action on Monday against the Detroit Pistons (0-3) at 7:30 PM ET.
