Miami Heat Players React To Disappointing Effort On Pat Riley's Special Night

On a night where the Miami Heat dedicated the home court to Pat Riley, the Miami Heat failed to live up to their end of the bargain and win the game.

Oct 23, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) attempts a shot as Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) and Paolo Banchero (5) defend during the first half at Kaseya Center. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo combined for 12 points on 2 of 13 shooting in the Miami Heat's 116-97 loss to the Orlando Magic in the season opener Wednesday.

Adebayo said the score is not indicative of how the Heat played. He thought the offense played well enough to win, but the shots were not dropping.

"We played poorly. It looked worse than what it was because the ball wasn't going in," Adebayo said. "We shot 38 percent from the field and just missed shots. The activity just died down. For us it's making that our identity first and worry about the defense later."

The Heat came off such a promising preseason after going 4-1.

"We will get better," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "Offensively we have to trust some of the things we have been working on in preseason. You have to trust what we do even more."

On a night where the Heat dedicated the floor to team president Pat Riley, they were outrebounded 57-41.

"There were some very good moments in the first half," Spoelstra said. "The second chance opportunities kept their spirit alive and gave them some momentum."

Spoelstra also said the Heat were not active.

"The activity level was not there. We were not active," Spoelstra said. "What we felt the last three weeks, we didn't feel tonight."

Here's what other Heat players had to say about the loss:

Tyler Herro: "I thought the first half the ball was moving and we were hard to guard. Where we felt we were doing the right thing in the first half, we weren't doing the right thing in the second half. We have to think the game at another level and think one pass ahead," Herro said. "We will be better. We feel we are doing the right thing. We have to build good habits. No one is going 82-0 anyway."

Terry Rozier: We let their offense dictate our defense. We have to play better and it starts with me. "We didn't play well, but we move on. We have 81 more games and another one on Saturday."

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

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