Category: Miami Heat Blog

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Miami Heat sign Cody Zeller

The Miami Heat have signed nine-year NBA veteran Cody Zeller.

Zeller last appeared in 27 games with the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2021-22 season and averaged 5.2 points and 4.6 rebounds in 13.1 minutes of action while shooting 56.7 percent from the field and 77.6 percent from the foul line. The former fourth overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft and 2013-14 NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection scored in double figures twice last season while grabbing at least six rebounds 11 times and dishing out multiple assists on three occasions. Additionally, Zeller has appeared in 494 career NBA games (273 starts) averaging 8.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 22.2 minutes while shooting 52 percent from the field and 73.1 percent from the foul line.

Zeller will wear number 44.

Heat sign Jamaree Bouyea to 10-day contract

The Miami Heat have signed guard Jamaree Bouyea to a 10-day contract.

Bouyea has appeared in 16 games (all starts) with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, this season averaging 19.0 points, 5.8 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.31 steals, 1.00 blocks and 35.1 minutes while shooting 52.2 percent from the field. He leads the team in assists, steals, blocks and field goals made and is second in points, rebounds and free throws made. He also appeared in 16 Showcase Cup games with the Skyforce earlier this season and averaged 15.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.30 steals and 35.5 minutes. Bouyea, who originally signed with the HEAT on July 14, appeared in four preseason games with Miami and averaged 8.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.25 steals and 17.2 minutes.

Bouyea played his entire collegiate career at the University of San Francisco, appearing in 160 games (105 starts), finishing as the school’s all-time leader in games played and wins while finishing third in assists and steals and fifth in points and field goals made. In his final season, he started all 34 games and averaged 17.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.82 steals and 36.2 minutes. He earned All-WCC First Team honors and was named to the NABC All-District First Team. He ranked third in the conference in scoring and led the team in points, assists, steals, field goals made and free throws made. He scored in double-figures in all but five games, including a career-high 36 points in the final game against Murray State in the NCAA Tournament.

Heat hit 40 of 40 free throws in win over Thunder

Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

Tuesday night’s 112-111 victory over the visiting Oklahoma City Thunder just about summed up the Miami Heat’s season.

There were the requisite injury absences, in this case going without Bam Adebayo, Tyler Herro and Kyle Lowry, among others.

There was a moment of the unfathomable, in this case backup center Dewayne Dedmon ejected in the second period for whacking a training device onto the court as he stormed to the locker room after a confrontation with the coaching staff.

And there was tight, compelling competition to the finish, the game decided on a Jimmy Butler 3-point play with 12.9 seconds to play, on a night the Heat closed 40 of 40 from the foul line — an NBA record for conversions without a miss.

Heat forward Duncan Robinson undergoes finger surgery

Miami Heat guard/forward Duncan Robinson underwent successful surgery today to repair a ligament of the second finger in his right hand. The 35-minute procedure was performed at the Linden Surgery Center by Dr. Steven Shinn at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He will begin rehab next week and be re-evaluated in approximately four weeks.

Robinson, who initially suffered the injury during shootaround on November 18 at Washington, has appeared in 28 games with the HEAT this season. He recently set Miami’s all-time three-point field goals made record on December 30 at Denver, surpassing the previous record holder Tim Hardaway (806). Additionally, Robinson connected on his 800th from downtown on December 26 vs. Minnesota, becoming the fastest player in NBA history to connect on their 800th three-point field goal.

Recent big game might be turning point for Heat guard Victor Oladipo

Via the Miami Herald:

After not completing a dunk in his first 10 games of the season, Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo finally threw one down in his 11th game.

It was worth the wait, as Oladipo used his burst to dribble into the paint before jumping over and through 7-foot Jazz center Walker Kessler for a right-handed slam in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s road win over the Jazz.

“Man, he dunked on that man,” Heat center Bam Adebayo said to reporters afterwards.

It was the highlight of Oladipo’s season-best offensive performance, as he finished Saturday’s victory with a season-high 23 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field, 4-of-9 shooting from three-point range and 5-of-7 shooting from the foul line, five rebounds and five assists. He also played a season-high 35 minutes off the bench.

“Everybody celebrated him in the locker room because only the locker room understands what he’s been going through for the last two years,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said when asked about Oladipo following Saturday’s game in Salt Lake City. “So much of his journey has been solitary.”

The Heat are 19-18 this season, which ties them with the New York Knicks for the 7th best record in the Eastern conference.

Their leading scorers so far in 2022-23 are Jimmy Butler at 21.8 PPG, Tyler Herro at 21.4 PPG, and Bam Adebayo at 21.2 PPG.

Injuries have been big part of Heat season so far

Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

[Miami Heat] point guard Kyle Lowry said the injury reports have become the story of the Heat’s struggles.

“It’s our season,” he said. “It’s been our season this year. Let’s get our injuries out of the way now, then come March, April, May, June, we’ll all be healthy.”

According to SpoTrac’s tracker, the Heat have lost 124 player/games to injury this season, second only to the 183 lost by the Orlando Magic, with the Cleveland Cavaliers third at 121 such games lost.

With 13 players having missed time due to injury, SpoTrac ranks the Heat tied for third in the NBA in that regard, behind only the 14 players who have missed injury time of the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Heat rookie Nikola Jovic currently playing in G League

Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

It’s about the experience, the minutes, the speed and strength of something closer to the NBA game.

That has been the message for Miami Heat rookie big man Nikola Jovic when it comes to his seasoning in the G League.

And it is an essential message when it comes to maintaining perspective, considering that in his five G League appearances so far, the 6-foot-10 first-round pick out of Serbia is shooting .255 from the field and .143 on 3-pointers.

“I’m not worried about that,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, with the Heat on Saturday facing the San Antonio Spurs in Mexico City before a two-day break and start of a four-game homestand. “He’s really been working at it, and sometimes you just need to feel comfortable to be able to knock down open shots.”

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Miami Heat off to a modest start this season

The Miami Heat are just 13-15 so far this season. Here’s the South Florida Sun Sentinel on the team’s modest start:

The expectations have been muted.

Depth that had been considered a Miami Heat strength entering the season largely has proven to be something considerably less.

Part of it has been injuries. Part of it has been the shift of 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro into the starting lineup, with energetic former reserve Caleb Martin now also a starter.

So these days, even the small steps are celebrated, such as Monday night’s 87-82 victory over the Indiana Pacers, when the Heat’s three-man bench of Max Strus, Dewayne Dedmon and Victor Oladipo combined for 20 points.

While hardly overwhelming, it was a step forward, considering it provided the Heat with nearly a quarter of the team’s scoring and that the trio outscored Indiana’s bench.

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Heat notes: rookie Nikola Jovic

Via the Miami HErald:

On Friday, rookie Nikola Jovic was in Boston with the Miami Heat. On Saturday and Sunday, Jovic was in South Dakota with the Heat’s G League affiliate. And on Monday, Jovic was back with the Heat in Memphis before returning with the team to Miami for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons.

The last few days have been a whirlwind for Jovic, but the 19-year-old Serbian forward was not surprised when he was told Friday to take a flight to South Dakota to join the Sioux Falls Skyforce for one G League game.

“Nothing was a surprise,” Jovic said, as the Heat returned to Miami following Monday’s 101-93 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies to open a three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Pistons. “I knew at one moment that I was going to go because they told me they want me to play a little bit. At this moment, there was no space for me to be on the court with the Heat guys. But they told me they want me to play. So I kind of knew [I would go to the G League], I just didn’t know when. It just happened to be now and I was really happy.”

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