Heat Torch Pelicans as Preseason Total Goes Scorching Over 232.5

The Heat torched New Orleans 128-118 in a preseason shootout that made our under 232.5 look foolish from tipoff. Combined 246 points—nearly 14 over the number—as both squads apparently missed the memo about conservative preseason basketball.

Miami came out firing, pushing pace and hitting shots like it was mid-February instead of October tune-up mode. The Pelicans matched the intensity, turning this into a legitimate up-and-down affair rather than the plodding rotation showcase we expected. When preseason games hit 246, someone's playing actual minutes and actually trying—clearly both coaching staffs wanted competitive reps over cautious evaluation.

Our under 232.5 got cooked because the fundamental premise collapsed. We banked on shortened starter minutes and camp-body inefficiency dragging scoring down 10-15 points below regular-season pace. Instead, we got rotation players logging real burn and both offenses clicking at near-regular-season efficiency. The Heat's 128 alone would've pushed a typical preseason total over by itself.

Sometimes the read is right but the execution is wrong. Preseason unders generally print—just not when teams decide to actually play basketball. Miami's decisive 10-point margin suggests they treated this like a dress rehearsal worth winning, and the scoreboard reflected that urgency. Tough miss, but we'll take our preseason methodology into the next one without apology.