Five takeaways from the Heat’s impressive 119-98 win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night at Moda Center:
▪ This was the team that Heat management expected to see when it kept most of this cast together.
There was Jimmy Butler imposing his will on both ends; Kyle Lowry playing an effective and efficient floor game; Caleb Martin wreaking havoc with his defensive verve and building on last season’s offensive growth; Bam Adebayo offering both tangible and intangible contributions; and Max Strus and Tyler Herro making teams pay from 3-point range.
