"It was noted prior to the game that Houston's starting lineup had an average height of 6'10". Houston had a newfound addition, Kevin Durant, playing the 2 spot. If you are keeping score at home, that's a 6'11" shooting guard on Houston's roster. Oklahoma City is built a bit more traditionally, with Luguentz Dort coming in at just 6'4", but it is their combo of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein that really helps give them a size advantage few teams could match last season."
"But Miami was just 3rd to last in the preseason in defensive rebounding percentage. Then factor in that last season Miami was dead last in blocks, third to last in opponent shooting percentage inside six feet, and third to last in percentage of offensive rebounds collected, and it's not unfair to wonder if the Heat could use a little more size."
Night one showcased contrasting roster blueprints: Houston and Oklahoma City feature notable size and interior combinations, while Miami projects limited size beyond Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jovic, and Kel'el Ware. Houston's starting lineup averaged 6'10", highlighted by Kevin Durant playing the 2, and Oklahoma City leverages Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein for a clear size advantage. Miami ranked near the bottom in preseason defensive rebounding percentage and finished last in blocks, poor opponent shooting percentage inside six feet, and low offensive-rebound percentage last season. Miami has leaned into a faster, small-ball approach, but preseason three-point struggles raise questions about its effectiveness.
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