By John Denton
July 5, 2016
ORLANDO – The Miami Heat remained undefeated in Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League play by wiping out a first-quarter deficit and riding the strong play of Josh Richardson in an 84-68 defeat of the Orlando Magic Blue squad on Tuesday.
Richardson, who evolved into a key rotational piece for the Heat this past season despite being a second-round draft choice, hit three 3-pointers and scored 22 points to go with his six assists for Miami (3-0). In two summer league games, Richardson leads the Heat in scoring at 19.5 points per game.
``I love Josh’s confidence and how he’s a competitor,’’ Heat summer league coach Juwan Howard said. ``If you want to be a competitor at a high level, you have to have that edge about you and he has that.’’
Orlando Blue (0-3) led 26-24 after the first period, but saw Miami take control of the game in the second (24-16) and third (19-14) quarters. Briante Weber did a little bit of everything for the Heat, contributing nine points, 10 rebounds, six assists and six steals in 29 minutes.
Justise Winslow, another Heat rotational player, scored 15 points despite a poor shooting game. He made just five of 15 shots and misfired on his first three 3-point shots before finally connecting on one in a one-sided fourth quarter. Winslow did throw a pass off the backboard in the fourth quarter to Weber, who was assessed a technical foul for hanging on the rim following his dunk.
``I want Justise to be a guy who isn’t thinking and is just playing basketball,’’ Howard said. ``I trust whatever shot he’s taking and I feel good about it. I know he’s worked extremely hard not only on his jump shot, but his entire game. He’s trying to find ways to get better as a ballplayer and I’m so happy for his development.’’
Orlando second-round pick Stephen Zimmerman bounced back from a poor showing on Monday with a strong effort. The 6-foot-11, 234-pound center, who was the No. 41 pick in the June NBA Draft, gave the Magic 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots before leaving the game with two jammed fingers.
Zimmerman’s best highlight of the day came at the end of the third quarter when he soared high into the air and swatted Weber’s layup attempt off the glass. That play kept Orlando’s deficit at 67-56 heading into the fourth period.
``It was super important (to bounce back from Monday’s poor game), but not in a way where I got too mental about it and psyched myself out,’’ Zimmerman said. So I just tried to play my game.’’
Nick Johnson chipped in 10 points, eight assists and three steals for Orlando. Tyler Harvey hit three 3-pointers and scored nine points off the bench. Devyn Marble (two points, two rebounds and two assists) left the game with a bruised kneecap and didn’t return.
Orlando rallied from an early 10-point deficit to grab a 26-24 first-quarter lead, but the Heat took control in the second period behind Richardson and led 48-42 at halftime. Miami shot 48.4 percent and drilled six of 11 3-pointers in the first two quarters.
When Richardson wasn’t drilling jumpers from the perimeter (two 3-pointers and a third shot with his toe on the arc), he was driving hard to rim to get to the free throw line. He made five of his six tries from the stripe and had 15 points by halftime.
Johnson, Harvey and Zimmerman kept the Magic within striking distance early on with their solid play from the outside and inside. Johnson (10 first-half points) and Harvey (six first-half points) each had two 3-pointers early on, while Zimmerman gave the Magic six points, six rebounds and a blocked shot in the game’s first 20 minutes.