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Heat try to solve defensive woes vs. Kings

Oct 31, 2008 - 10:55 AM Sacramento (0-1) at Miami (0-1), 7:30pm EDT

MIAMI (Ticker) -- Amid major injuries and personnel changes, the Miami Heat had a world of trouble putting points on the board last season. Two years removed from a championship, they sunk to a league-low 91.4 points per game.

If Wednesday's season opener is any indication, they may be on their way to solving that problem. All they have to do now is figure out how to get stops. The Heat will try to do just that as they look for their first win of the season on Friday against the Sacramento Kings.

The Heat, who look to be rising from the dead with the renewed health of Dwyane Wade and the addition of second overall pick Michael Beasley, piled on the offense in their season debut. They posted their highest point total in 20 months, including 40 points in the fourth quarter, but still fell to the New York Knicks in an old-fashioned shootout, 120-115.

They might be in for more of the same against the Kings, one of the league's highest-scoring teams a season ago who had similar trouble stopping anybody.

Sacramento's 2008-09 opener didn't go much better, as the team fell to the young Minnesota Timberwolves, 98-96, despite a late fourth-quarter rally. Kevin Martin, the sixth-leading scorer in the NBA last season, got off to a sluggish start. He shot just 5-of-19 and finished with 17 points. John Salmons picked up the slack with 24 and eight assists.

Second-year center Spencer Hawes had a strong showing, collecting 12 points, 14 boards and a career-high six blocks.