Q: Ira, where’s the shooting? Duncan Robinson is hurt and playing, so no complaint there. But the Celtics are showing why having shooters makes a difference. – Andy.
A: The difference is the Celtics have shooters who also are complete players. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown make 3-pointers and just about any other type of shot. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday make 3-pointers and also are elite defenders. Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford make 3-pointers and also offer size. This is not about Sam Hauser and his four 3-pointers in Game 1. That’s the difference. With Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, the 3-pointers are the exceptions. With Tyler Herro, they are not necessarily the shot of choice. And Erik Spoelstra has shown over the years, he does not play players who solely are 3-pointer shooters (think James Jones), which is why Duncan Robinson didn’t get fully back into the rotation until he showed a greater diversity with his offense. The thought was Josh Richardson and Thomas Bryant might add that element. But not. Terry Rozier certainly is not known as a 3-point specialist. And while the Heat could have moved Cole Swider onto the playoff roster amid Duncan’s back injury, would Spoelstra have played him? Likely not. This is where the losses of Max Strus and Gabe Vincent hurt. What the Heat and the rest of the NBA covet is what the Celtics have – 3-point shooters who are far more than 3-point specialists.
Q: Tyler Herro first off the bench. – Rich, Plantation.
A: I still believe this is the way it should trend if Tyler Herro is to be an enduring element for the Heat. He has shown he can thrive in that role. But it is not something you can do at this moment, with Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier out, in the middle of a series. A wing with a big more defensive presence, even a Delon Wright type, at least would add deterrence during those big opposing opening runs. It will be hard sell, no doubt, to sell Tyler on the idea. But tough times call for eventual tough solutions.
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Q: Will Bam Adebayo playing in the Olympics help him (more experience) or hurt him (more games)? – Kris, Oceanside.
A: I believe help, considering it does not look like another lengthy playoff run for the Heat. In fact, in the 3-centric international game, it will be interesting to see if Team USA coach Steve Kerr allows some space for Bam Adebayo at the arc. But an issue for Bam might be heavy minutes, considering Joel Embiid does not look like a player who should go from his current limp into a busy international offseason.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Lionel Messi scored twice in a four-goal second half, defender Telasco Segovia added a goal and two assists and defending champion Inter Miami CF rallied to beat Orlando City SC 4-2 on Sunday night, winning for the first time at Inter&Co Stadium.
Messi took a pass from Segovia and scored in the 57th minute to tie it 2-2, and Segovia scored unassisted in the 85th for the lead. Messi put the finishing touch on the victory when he scored off a free kick in the 90th.
“The victory belongs exclusively to the players,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said after the game. “In the second half, they were a championship team. There were no tactics, nothing like that. There was heart, courage, possession, resilience, commitment. I think the team came out because they were champions last year.
“In the end, the players showed it. This victory is theirs.”
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Messi’s first two goals of the season give him 52 in his first 55 regular-season MLS matches — 51 of them in his past 49 appearances. It also brought the reigning MLS MVP to 898 career goals scored, including 672 for Barcelona and 115 for Argentina.
“He’s the best player to ever play this sport. He’s a leader, and as a leader, he inspires others, but he also often needs to be inspired himself,” Mascherano said of Messi. “When he was driving forward, he had more attacking options, and with so many opportunities, he clearly has the ability to create chances like no one else, and that’s what allowed us to turn the game around.”
Marco Pašalić took a pass from Iván Angulo and scored in the 18th minute to give Orlando City a 1-0 lead. Pašalić has scored in four straight matches against Inter Miami.
Inter Miami players celebrate after scoring a goal against Orlando City in MLS.
Defender Griffin Dorsey set up Martín Ojeda for a goal six minutes later for a 2-0 advantage that stood through halftime.
Inter Miami cut it to 2-1 four minutes into the second half on Mateo Silvetti’s first career goal. Defenders Segovia and Facundo Mura had assists as the 20-year-old forward found the net in his fifth career appearance.
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Segovia had eight goals and six assists as a rookie last season, while Mura collected his first assist in his first season.
Dayne St. Clair, the reigning goalkeeper of the year, turned away three shots — all in the second half of his second start with Inter Miami, but let in a soft goal for Orlando’s first.
Maxime Crépeau had four saves in his second start for Orlando City.
Teenager Colin Guske, 19, will miss Orlando City’s next match after the rookie picked up two yellow cards in his first start — the second one led to his exit in the 88th minute.
Inter Miami, which had never won in its previous nine trips to Orlando, was coming off a 3-0 road loss to LAFC.
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Orlando City swept Inter Miami during the regular season last year and leads the all-time series 8-7-4.
Inter Miami plays D.C. United on Saturday at Audi Field. Orlando City is also on the road with a match against New York City FC.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.
Rain floods Miami Beach streets, cut short Miami Heat Family Festival
MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — Much-needed rain fell across South Florida on Sunday, but the downpour quickly led to flooding and traffic headaches.
“The drainage systems aren’t the best but in ten minutes it will be gone,” one person said.
The rain lasted longer than 10 minutes, flooding several spots along Collins Avenue in Miami Beach.
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In one neighborhood, at least a foot of water blocked the entrance. Drivers who attempted to pass through sent waves crashing onto nearby sidewalks.
The heavy rain also snarled traffic on parts of Interstate 95 and on the bridges to and from Miami Beach, slowing drivers trying to get around the area.
“It’s Miami for you. What do they call it, a sun shower?” one driver said.
The weather disrupted Sunday plans for many. The 26th annual Miami Heat Family Festival was cut short after strong winds swept through Dan Paul Plaza, knocking over several tents.
There is no word yet on how or when the Miami Heat plan to make up the family festival.
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Brett Knese
Brett Knese joined the Local 10 News team as a general assignment reporter in March 2025.
Jack and Jill of America’s Miami chapter closed out Black History Month with an inaugural “Roots Across Waters” trip to Nassau, where families explored ancestral sites, honored the Bahamian labor that helped build early Miami, and donated Afro‑Caribbean children’s books to local students.
