Overview
- Giannis Antetokounmpo made his Heat preseason debut on Saturday in Quebec City, playing 14 minutes and finishing with 9 points, 7 assists and 4 rebounds in a 129–105 victory over the Toronto Raptors.
- Miami’s starters produced an efficient first half, scoring 76 points and hitting nearly 48 percent from three, a performance that highlighted how Giannis’s drives and kick-outs can improve spacing for perimeter shooters.
- Coach Erik Spoelstra praised Giannis’s passing and compared his role to a high-level playmaker from Pat Riley’s era, with multiple teammates noting how easily he created open looks.
- The appearance was tightly managed: starters rested for the second half, no injuries were reported, and the limited sample leaves open questions about season-long durability, two-big lineups, and where secondary creation will come from.
- The game was the NBA’s first in Quebec City, played before a reported sellout of 18,474, and Toronto was short-handed with Kawhi Leonard and other rotation players out, so analysts call the outing an encouraging early indicator rather than definitive proof of season-long form.