Five Takeaways From Heat’s 108-96 Victory in Season Opener

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3. Two Pleasant Surprises

Willie Reed Miami Heat

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The performances of Reed and Rodney McGruder were two of the most pleasant surprises of the night. Reed looked like a savvy veteran on pick-and-rolls and there wasn’t a noticeable drop-off in production from the center position when Reed came in to give Whiteside a breather. He finished the night with 10 points and six rebounds in 17 minutes.

McGruder was the last player to make the Heat’s final roster and Spoelstra used him right away. The young guard only contributed six points and three rebounds on the night, but his attacking mentality fit well with the high-paced Heat offense. He tied Justise Winslow for the best plus/minus differential with a +15 for night.

Next: Dion Waiters Can Do More Than Score

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Atreya is currently attending Purdue University and loves to watch and follow the NBA. He grew up in Alabama so he loves his Auburn Tigers just as much as he does the Miami Heat. He’s been a huge fan of the team since that magical 2006 title run and still believes Dwyane Wade can drop 50 on any given night. He’s extremely excited to be writing about the team he loves and keeping Heat Nation up to date on all things Heat. You can follow him on Twitter @atreya_verma.