The Miami Heat opened their season with a narrow loss to their in-state rival, the Orlando Magic, falling 125-121 on Wednesday night. Newly acquired guard Norman Powell led the way offensively for Miami, picking up where he left off in Los Angeles as a member of the Clippers. Powell scored 28 points in his Heat debut, including 4-for-8 shooting from 3-point range, providing a much-needed scoring punch.
Bam Adebayo added 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Davion Mitchell supplied 16 points and a game-high 12 assists. Despite the strong individual performances, Miami struggled defensively throughout the night, allowing Orlando to shoot efficiently from beyond the arc.
However, fans and analysts were most surprised by the limited usage of second-year center Kel’el Ware. The 21-year-old finished sixth in Rookie of the Year voting last season and was expected to take a significant leap in 2025-26. After averaging 22.2 minutes per game as a rookie, Ware saw the court for only 14 minutes in the opener, raising questions about his role moving forward.
When asked about the decision, head coach Erik Spoelstra defended the rotation.
“We trusted the group we had out there,” Spoelstra said. “But Kel’el will get there. He’ll get there. We’re going to continue to fast-track him.”
While his lack of playing time was concerning, Spoelstra’s comments show continued confidence in the Arkansas product. Still, Heat supporters are eager to see whether Ware’s opportunities increase in the coming weeks.
Miami continues its road trip today against the Memphis Grizzlies before returning home to face the New York Knicks in the home opener on Sunday.
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