Miami Heat at Orlando Magic

·Fri Oct 16·7:00 PM ET·Orlando, FL

By JR·2 min read

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Friday 10/167:00 PM

TLDR: The Heat traded for Giannis Antetokounmpo in July, and Friday's trip to Orlando puts the new version of this Florida rivalry on the floor for the first time. It's still preseason, but the Magic just put up 132 on Cleveland and won't be backing down.

FRI 10/16, FRI OCT 16, 7:00 PM

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The Miami Heat visit the Orlando Magic in a preseason game, with Giannis Antetokounmpo playing short but productive minutes after his July trade from Milwaukee. The Heat play Brooklyn first, and how Miami spreads out minutes across that game and this one decides how much of its new core shows up. Orlando arrives rested after a 132-116 rout of Cleveland led by Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

Miami Heat

Giannis efficient: 18 points on 8-of-13 in 18 minutes
Adebayo-Antetokounmpo frontcourt can wall off drives
Plays Brooklyn first; rest calls could thin the lineup
Guard depth hit: Smith calf, Larsson illness
Rested 5 regulars in the Minnesota loss

Orlando Magic

Banchero 10-of-13, Wagner 8 assists in Cavs rout
Rested; no game between Tuesday and Friday
Scored 35+ in 3 straight quarters on Tuesday
Black (ankle) and Isaac (knee) sat Tuesday
Lost to Cleveland by 14 just 2 days earlier

Here's how Miami got this different. The Heat landed Giannis and Bobby Portis from Milwaukee on July 6, then signed Klay Thompson in August. Giannis has looked like himself in short minutes. In the second preseason game, against New Orleans, he scored a game-high 18 on 8-of-13 shooting with 4 rebounds and 4 assists, all in 18 first-half minutes. Erik Spoelstra hasn't been asking him for much more than that, and you shouldn't expect it in Orlando either.

Miami plays Brooklyn at home Wednesday before this one, and that game will shape Friday more than any number we have now. The Heat already rested Giannis, Bam Adebayo, Klay, Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell together for the 125-124 loss to Minnesota. How Spoelstra handles the Nets game, and who sits a second straight night, will tell us what kind of Heat roster shows up at Kia Center. The depth is already thin. Dru Smith is out a couple of weeks with a strained right calf, Keshad Johnson is still limited with a hamstring, and Pelle Larsson was doubtful for Brooklyn with an illness.

Orlando doesn't play again before Friday, so the Magic come in rested. They're also coming off their best night of the preseason. 2 days after Cleveland beat them by 14, they turned the rematch into a 132-116 rout. Orlando scored 35 or more in each of the first 3 quarters, led by 20 at the half, and got 24 from Paolo Banchero on 10-of-13 shooting. Franz Wagner added 20 points and 8 assists, and Jalen Suggs made his preseason debut.

Orlando's injury list is about being careful more than anything. Nikola Vucevic rested against Cleveland, and Anthony Black (ankle) and Jonathan Isaac (knee) both sat that game too. Isaac's knee has been on the report since late August, so watch whether he plays at all on Friday. Izaiyah Nelson is still about a month away from returning after offseason ankle surgery, according to team president Jeff Weltman.

The matchup to watch is Banchero and Wagner against the Heat's new frontcourt. The Magic beat Cleveland on drives and cuts all night Tuesday. If Giannis and Bam both play their usual early-game minutes, Orlando's two forwards will have a lot less room to get to the rim than the Cavs gave them. If Miami rests either one again, Banchero gets another easy night.

Tipoff is 7:00 PM ET on Friday, October 16 at Kia Center. Starters may only play a half, but it's still Giannis in a Heat jersey against the team that won this rivalry's attention in recent years, in Orlando's building. That's a pretty good preseason game.

Miami Heat at Orlando Magic

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