MIAMI, Fla. – As the NBA’s 2026-27 season tips off on Tuesday, starting with the Boston Celtics against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena, with the game scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. E.T., the Miami Heat won’t suit up until Wednesday to face the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Kaseya Center.

Given the extra day before the test of chasing the Larry O’Brien trophy begins, here are three things to monitor throughout the season:

Shortly before Opening Night, the Heat have promising depth in Pelle Larsson, Tim Hardaway Jr., Simone Fontecchio, Bobby Portis Jr., and Nick Richards (non-guaranteed contract). As most of the expectations fall on the stars, the bench plays a big role in providing stability throughout an 82-game regular-season schedule. There will very likely be some games when they lead the Heat to a victory.

Last season, Larsson broke out, Hardaway Jr. finished third in Sixth Man of the Year voting, and Portis Jr. shot a remarkable 45.6 percent from behind the arc. However, Jovic can unlock the Heat’s bench unit even further. There are great expectations for the 23-year-old in a rotational role to deliver a winning impact.

It starts with being healthy, as Jovic has yet to play 50 games in a single regular season. However, the 6-10, 245-pound forward has promising guard-like skills and floor-spacing ability, which makes him valuable.

After completing a buyout with the Dallas Mavericks this summer, the four-time NBA champion sacrificed financial security to bring a winning impact to South Florida. Thompson is one of the league’s best three-point shooters, but this late-career version of him will be interesting to watch. Some nights he might have plenty of shot attempts, then others could look very different.

Plus, how will Thompson hold up defensively? He’s not at the point of being a liability; just something to keep an eye on.

The Heat landed an MVP-caliber superstar for the first time since LeBron James in the summer of 2010. Antetokounmpo is coming off an injury-riddled season, but appears more than ready for this season to start. As head coach Erik Spoelstra compares him to Magic Johnson, it will be interesting to track the 31-year-old’s facilitation.

Antetokounmpo will draw most of the defense’s attention, leaving others with wide-open looks. He’s averaged at least five assists in nine of the last 10 seasons.

The wait will soon be over as NBA basketball officially returns on Tuesday.

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