A new era of San Antonio basketball has begun, with DeMar DeRozan in the lineup and some longtime legends elsewhere.
With an offseason of change behind them, the Spurs opened exhibition play Sunday with a 104-100 victory over the Miami Heat.
DeRozan started and scored seven points in 18 minutes in his first game for the Spurs since they acquired him from Toronto in the trade that sent Kawhi Leonard to Toronto. With Leonard traded, Tony Parker signing in Charlotte and Manu Ginobili retiring, it was a far more eventful offseason than usual in San Antonio.
But it was a good start for the new pieces. Jakob Poeltl, who came with DeRozan from the Raptors, had six points and 10 rebounds.
Hassan Whiteside had 20 points and 13 rebounds for the Heat.
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SPURS 104, HEAT 100
Rudy Gay led San Antonio with 13 points, making all three 3-pointers and 5-of-6 shots in 14 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge added 10 points.
HEAT: Dwyane Wade began his final preseason by coming off the bench for 10 points in 18 minutes. … Rodney McGruder and Goran Dragic started in the backcourt, with McGruder scoring 15 points and Dragic adding 12. … Kelly Olynyk shot 1 for 10 for four points. … Duncan Robinson made three 3-pointers and scored 12 points in a city where a Duncan (Tim) and a Robinson (David) once starred together.
SPURS: Dejounte Murray, who replaced Parker as starting point guard last season, had eight points in 15 minutes. … Derrick White scored 12 points. … Davis Bertans made three 3-pointers and scored 10 points.
UP NEXT: Miami (0-1) visits Charlotte on Tuesday. San Antonio (1-0) hosts Detroit on Friday.
CELTICS 115, HORNETS 112
Kyrie Irving scored 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting and Terry Rozier had 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals for Boston.
Jayson Tatum had 16 points, including three 3-pointers, Marcus Morris made 4 of 6 from behind the arc and finished with 12 points, and Jaylen Brown scored 11. Gordon Hayward was just 1-of-7 shooting and had four points in 21 minutes for the Celtics (1-1).
Miles Bridges, picked No. 12 overall in June’s draft, made 9 of 12 from the field, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, and finished with 23 points for Charlotte (1-1). Willy Hernangomez added 14 points, Malik Monk 13, including three 3s, and Kemba Walker scored 10.
CELTICS: Al Horford missed the game due to a right wrist sprain. He is expected to return against Cleveland on Tuesday. … Hayward, who suffered a gruesome injury in the opening minutes of the regular-season opener last year, is just 3-of-14 shooting in two games this preseason. He showed some hustle, and confidence in his surgically repaired left ankle, on a chase-down block of a layup by Jeremy Lamb.
HORNETS: Tony Parker, who signed a two-year, $10 million contract with Charlotte in July after 17 seasons with San Antonio, did not play. Marvin Williams and Cody Zeller were also healthy scratches. … Michael Kidd-Gilchrist left the game in the first half and did not return due to concussion-like symptoms.
UP NEXT: Charlotte (1-1) hosts Miami on Tuesday. Boston (1-1) hosts Cleveland on Tuesday.
BULLS 128, PELICANS 116
Antonio Blakeney, Bobby Portis and Zach LaVine scored 21 points apiece for Chicago. The trio combined to make 24 of 42 (57 percent) from the field and 14-of-14 free throws.
Jabari Parker, who signed with Chicago as a free agent in July, had 15 points but was just 5-of-14 shooting. Kris Dunn added 12 points and rookie Wendell Carter Jr. scored 11.
Frank Jackson and Jrue Holiday each scored 16 points for New Orleans. Jackson shot just 5 of 14 from the field but made 4-of-8 3-pointers. Holiday was 7-of-9 shooting with four assists.
BULLS: Lauri Markkanen did not play due to an elbow injury sustained on Thursday and is expected to miss six to eight weeks. Denzel Valentine (ankle) and Omer Asik (inflammatory arthritis) also missed the game. … Chicago made just 4 of 18 from 3-point range but shot 49.5 percent (49 of 99) from the field. … Cameron Payne had seven assists.
PELICANS: Julius Randle, who signed with the Pelicans as a free agent this offseason, had 15 points, five rebounds and five assists. … Anthony Davis added 13 points, three steals and two blocks in 15 minutes. … Nikola Mirotic (sore Achilles tendon) and Darius Miller (shoulder) did not play. … Frank Jackson, a second-round pick out of Duke in 2017, missed all of last season due to a right foot injury.
UP NEXT: Chicago (1-0) plays at Milwaukee on Wednesday. New Orleans (0-1) visits Atlanta on Monday.
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