Miami Heat Holds First Practice In The Bahamas

Coach Erik Spoelstra said the first practice went off without a hitch. He also said the sounds of the basketballs bouncing on the hardwood were music to his ears.

May 1, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra directs his players during the first quarter of game five of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. / Winslow Townson-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat held their first training camp practice Tuesday morning at the Baha Mar Hotel in the Bahamas.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra welcomed the sound of the basketballs hitting the floor and the squeaking of the sneakers on the court.

"It is the sound of music to all of us, particularly when we have had that much time off," Spoelstra said. "We're fresh in the mind, bodies are sharp, we had a very productive morning."

Spoelstra also added no players were held out due to injuries.

The Heat spent the morning working on both offensive and defensive fundamentals.

"We're actually doing both. We were spending time installing and teaching some offensive principles today," Spoelstra said. "Took a little more time today doing that. But we still got to our defense. We are always gonna do that. We are going to touch on that [defense] every single day."

Spoelstra said there is just something different about practicing in the Bahamas. He said It feels like a training camp, and not just a regular practice.

"You hear all of the things that it's great to get away. However, it also signals that this is different. It's a new opportunity," Spoelstra said. "This is the start of a new beginning. You get away for training camp, you focus on each other. It should feel different than a regular season practice.

"We love coming down to the Bahamas, they are part of our extended family," Spoelstra said. "Training camp has been productive here and it just feels different from the moment we land. It's a lot different practicing here than a January practice at home."

Scott Salomon is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at sas@southfloridamedianetwork.com.

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