Winners and losers from Heat's second preseason game v. Pelicans - Hot Hot Hoops - NBA

(Photo courtesy of the Miami Heat // Twitter)

The Miami Heat are slowly, but surely getting ramped up as the Oct. 21 season opener approaches. They concluded their second preseason game on Thursday — a 128-118 win over the Pelicans — with the starters playing in just the first half.

Who were a few winners and losers? Let’s examine!

Winner: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Skinny: I didn’t include Antetokounmpo in the preseason opener because it felt fairly obvious. I couldn’t omit him for two straight games. Antetokounmpo tallied a game-high 18 points with four rebounds, four assists and one steal in 18 minutes. He shot 8-of-13 from the floor, with all of his makes coming in the paint. Per status quo, Antetokounmpo dominated in transition and is averaging 13.5 points on 67.6 percent true shooting. He’s been everything as advertised — and then some.

Loser: Ryan Conwell

Skinny: Conwell, the Heat’s No. 37 overall draft choice, still hasn’t gotten off the ground quite yet. He missed all four of his attempts in Thursday’s win and is 0-for-6 so far in preseason. He’s had difficulty not only finding where he wants to get off his shot, but his balance when he does. This is not a long-term worry, as I expect him to adjust as time passes.

Winner: Davion Mitchell

Skinny: Mitchell has been outstanding this preseason — especially on Thursday. He finished with nine points and seven assists — to just one turnover — in 20 minutes. He is pushing the rock at every opportunity, spearheading the Heat’s transition attack. He’s also been a bulldog at the point-of-attack. It may look chaotic, but Mitchell’s been in full control on both ends of the floor.

Loser: Vlad Goldin

Skinny: It’s difficult to be a “loser” in games you don’t play — but that’s part of the reason why Goldin is. This was a big preseason for him to reassure why he’s a two-way player. He has just six points and one rebound to his name through two games and was a DNP-CD on Thursday.

Winner: Myron Gardner

Skinny: What allowed Gardner to make the roster last season was his energy in defense. That’s exactly what he’s shown so far this preseason, scoring 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting from deep with four rebounds, four assists and three steals against New Orleans. You have to be aware of Gardner at all times. Beyond that, you have to respect his shooting, which could be a real asset if he gets any run in the rotation.

Winner: Tre Donaldson

Skinny: The Heat have an intriguing point guard in the pipeline, and his name is Tre Donaldson. The 22-year-old rookie signed with Miami at the conclusion of the 2026 NBA Draft, and has been nothing but impressive since. Through two preseason games, Donaldson has averaged 9.0 points and 2.5 assists on 46.2/33.3/66.7 shooting splits. He’s not fazed by ball pressure, makes quick reads and defends at a respectable level. I’m a complete buyer in his long-term outcome.

Winners and losers from Heat’s second preseason game v. Pelicans – Hot Hot Hoops

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