The Miami Heat play the Brooklyn Nets on Friday. Tipoff is at 8 p.m. ET. Listen to the live radio broadcast HERE or watch the live stream HERE.
Amidst rumors that this could be Miami's last season with their Big 3 together, the Heat have even more impetus to make history by becoming one of the few teams to appear in four straight NBA Finals.
The Eastern Conference is changing, though. While the Heat are still the favorite to win the championship, the conference is becoming more competitive with young, emerging teams such as the Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons. There's also the Chicago Bulls, who now have Derrick Rose back, the Indiana Pacers and the New York Knicks.
On Friday, the Heat get their first regular-season taste of the new-look Nets. Brooklyn spent $100 million to field its roster, and with aging stars Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, there's pressure to win now.
Despite the All-Star talent on the roster, Brooklyn was unable to beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in their season opener. Garnett warned fans to temper their expectations and understand there'll be bumps on the road as the team builds chemistry.
"Everyone has to be patient," Garnett said, via ESPN. "It's not just because you assemble guys and things are going to just viola. We're not a perfect team by far, but we are a hard-working team. We're a team with no excuses."
Miami, meanwhile, was stunned on Wednesday with a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Heat should receive a boost with the expected return to the lineup of Dwyane Wade, who was sidelined with sore knees against Philadelphia.
"It was not pre-planned, it was something our trainers and coaches came to me with," said Wade. "It's early in the season, it's just a precaution."
