🚨 R.J. Hampton Looks Different…Makes His Mark In Comeback Bid As HEAT Fall In Houston

1. The Heat were once again not at full strength, missing Jimmy Butler among others, which means the entire preseason has expired without a real dress rehearsal. Caleb Martin did play limited minutes for the first time after missing the first four games with knee tendinosis.

At least Bam Adebayo (11 points on six shots) got plenty of reps in over the past two weeks and once again much of the offense was running through him in the early going, with plenty of post-ups to chew on. While he spent much of the past two games attacking Jaren Jackson Jr. and Nic Claxton, tonight it was Alperen Sengun on the other side as Adebayo ran off Miami’s first seven points with a face-up drive and a couple of jumpers. We’ve said it before already, but after so many years when it felt like Adebayo’s offensive development was one of the top three items to watch this time of year, now everything just looks comfortable and consistent. Adebayo did not play in the second half, nor did the rest of Miami’s starters as Tyler Herro added 13 points on nine shots.

With Houston playing its regular rotation, until midway through the fourth, they led for much of the evening though Miami hung around in single digits into the fourth quarter in a bid to get into clutch minutes in all five preseason games. And sure enough, it happened. Is it a world record? It’s at least a tie for one, and a fitting follow-up to last regular season. Don’t let anyone ever tell you not to dream big.

Miami finishes up the preseason at 2-3, falling tonight 110-104, with their home opener, against the Detroit Pistons, coming up on Wednesday.

2. After missing some time injured, R.J. Hampton made a good impression in this one as he took over starting point-guard duties in the second half, feeding Thomas Bryant for a pick-and-roll lob, hitting couple of jumpers – including a pull-up three – and finishing a beautiful double-clutch drive in the fourth to get Miami within striking distance. Hampton finished with 17 points on nine shots, five assists in what was a relatively mistake-free evening.

Tough to know where things are with Hampton after he missed so much time, but he’s currently on a two-way contract and rosters are due to be pared down this weekend so at the very least it couldn’t hurt to put some good minutes into the jar tonight. On that note, also worth mentioning that Justin Champagnie had his best night of the preseason as well, contributing 11 points on eight shots.

3. Nikola Jovic (10 points on eight shots) had his best stretch of the preseason in the second quarter, scoring on two catch-and-go moves from the perimeter, including a crafty opposite side finish off the high glass, while getting fouled on a third drive. Still finding his NBA game after spending the FIBA World Cup as a release valve for Serbia, it might have been the most aggressive, in terms of putting the ball on the deck, sequence of Jovic’s young career.

With even more opportunity coming his way in the second half, Jovic hit an open mid-range jumper early in the third, then a righty hook shot out of a true post up against Jabari Smith Jr.

It’s not all perfect (four turnovers), or even pretty. Never is with players this young. But the flashes mean something, and for someone who doesn’t have much experience under his belt the flashes are sometimes all you can go on.