Miami Heat will face skeleton crew Hawks in tuneup

Ethan J. Skolnick | Oct 13, 2025

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat might learn more about themselves practicing against themselves.

While the Heat are treating Tuesday's preseason game in Atlanta like a regular season tuneup -- starting players who figure to start in the regular season opener, absent the injured Nikola Jovic -- the Atlanta Hawks are using it as a rest night.

Atlanta Hawks vs Miami Heat starters for tonight’s preseason game: pic.twitter.com/XT1PCw2tJJ

— JJ (@JameelahJNBA) October 13, 2025

No Trae Young.

No Jalen Johnson.

No Kristaps Porzingis.

Meanwhile, the Heat are starting Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins and Norman Powell, along with Kel'el Ware (in for Jovic) and Dru Smith (who interestingly, in a sign of what may be to come, starts ahead of Davion Mitchell). We will also likely see Jaime Jaquez, Jr., and Pelle Larsson off the bench, with Mitchell. Miami's coach Erik Spoelstra likes to get a look at his probable rotation at least once before each season starts.

Unfortunately, the Heat won't get the best gauge of where they're at against a division rival. And a win, after four preseason losses, will mean even less.

So what to watch?

Well, mostly, how do Adebayo and Ware look together, even if it's against Asa Newell and N'Faly Dante rather than the Hawks' regulars. Also, how do Powell and Smith play off each other, if that will be the backcourt until Tyler Herro returns.

Other than that, though, this is another sign that the preseason is too long, with the Heat having one more game on that schedule, plus a charity scrimmage that is open to fans, prior to the regular season starting for Miami in Orlando on October 22.