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The Biscayne Brief · Morning

Heat Push Past Pelicans As Wiggins, Giannis Deliver

Miami beat New Orleans again Thursday, and Larsson's illness is tracking to clear before Saturday's Minnesota test.

128-118Final score over New Orleans
By the Heat Nightly Desk · Friday, October 9

Miami beat New Orleans 128-118 on Thursday, with Giannis Antetokounmpo scoring 18 points and Andrew Wiggins adding 13 on 4-of-5 shooting in his return from the injury list. Pelle Larsson, sidelined by illness, is listed to return Saturday when the Heat host Minnesota.

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Illustration by Hoops Nightly.

Second Win In A Row

Miami beat New Orleans 128-118 at home on Thursday to move to 2-0 in preseason play. Giannis Antetokounmpo led with 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting, and Davion Mitchell ran the offense for 9 points and 7 assists, finishing a team-best plus-15 in 20 minutes.

Wiggins Checks In Healthy

Andrew Wiggins came off the injury list and scored 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting, plus-12 in 15 minutes. Pelle Larsson stayed out with an illness, but his return is lined up for Saturday's game against Minnesota at Kaseya Center.

Outlets Keep Watching Giannis

The Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang and Hot Hot Hoops both published pieces on Oct. 9 saying Antetokounmpo continues to impress in preseason games, adding outside confirmation to what Thursday's box score already showed.

Rest Of The Report

Keshad Johnson remains out with a hamstring injury and is not listed to return before Oct. 26. Dru Smith is day-to-day with a right calf issue, targeting Oct. 16. Neither has played yet this preseason.

Bottom Line

Health is trending the right way: Wiggins is back, Larsson is close, and the next test is Minnesota at home Saturday before road dates with the Nets and Magic. The real opener is Oct. 21 against the Timberwolves on ESPN, and that is the game that will count.

Is Andrew Wiggins healthy entering the regular season?

Yes. Wiggins cleared the injury list and scored 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting in 15 minutes against New Orleans on Oct. 8.

When do the Heat open the 2026-27 regular season?

Miami opens the regular season Oct. 21 against Minnesota on ESPN, after two more preseason games against the Nets and Magic.

By the Heat Nightly Desk, written from the club's data and the reports on file, with every name and number checked against them. How the desks work.

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