Miami Heat Finish Preseason Strong with Two Wins

For the first time in two years, the Miami Heat got a preseason win. In fact, they got two of them. While finishing the preseason 2-5 doesn't really turn any heads, it is still a monumental improvement over last year's 0-7 preseason. Not only did they win two out of their last three games, they beat the San Antonio Spurs in their preseason finale. And they did it without superstar Dwyane Wade. Once again, critics and fans will say that it was only preseason and that it doesn't matter. But, if you recall, the Heat went 15-67 last year after a winless preseason. So the preseason does set a tone for the regular season. The Heat's first win came against the Memphis Grizzlies in a 102-85 blowout. Miami was led by Wade's 25 points, five rebounds, and six assists in 35 minutes of play. In addition, he was nine for 19 from the field. The game also saw strong performances from Michael Beasley, Udonis Haslem, Marcus Banks, and rookie Mario Chalmers. Beasley finished the game with 19 points in 20 ... (link)