Miami plays three preseason games in six days, opening Thursday against a Pelicans team two games into a road trip on one day of rest. The Heat enter rested and healthy at the top of the rotation, but Keshad Johnson and Dru Smith stay sidelined for at least part of the week.
Stacked Slate
Three preseason games arrive in six days: Pelicans at home Thursday, Timberwolves at home Saturday, Nets at home next Wednesday. Only Minnesota matters beyond practice reps — the Timberwolves are the team Miami opens the real season against on October 21 on ESPN, making Saturday the week's actual evaluation. The Nets game eight days later closes the slate without that stakes attached.
Pelicans Arrive Worn
New Orleans comes in first, already two games into a road trip and working on a single day of rest, then does not play again for six days after Thursday. The Pelicans finished last season 26-56 with a net rating of minus-4.4. Trey Murphy III (21.5 points last season) and Zion Williamson (21.0) led that roster, with Saddiq Bey (17.7) and Bennedict Mathurin (17.6) adding scoring depth and Herbert Jones setting the defensive tone.
Heat Hold The Edge
Miami carries four days of rest into Thursday and has played just once in the past week, the inverse of New Orleans' workload. The turnaround is tighter from there — two days to the Timberwolves game Saturday, with the Nets game following the next Wednesday.
Who's Out
A hamstring issue keeps Keshad Johnson sidelined for the whole week, with an estimated return of October 26. Dru Smith's calf has him questionable, with an estimated return of October 16 that could put him back before the Nets game next Wednesday.
Bottom Line
Three preseason games decide nothing by themselves, but Saturday against Minnesota is the one worth watching closely. Everything else this week is depth evaluation while Johnson and Smith wait out their injuries.
When do the Heat play the Pelicans in preseason?
October 8, at home, the first of three preseason games this week.
Is Keshad Johnson playing for the Heat this week?
No. A hamstring issue keeps Johnson sidelined, with an estimated return of October 26, past this week's three games.
