Miami, FL
Magic-Heat Game Preview: Orlando Set to Open 24-25 Slate at Miami – Injury Report, TV Info
MIAMI – For the Orlando Magic, the 2024-25 NBA regular season opens right away against a fierce rival.
The Magic visits its Floridian neighbor on Wednesday night, making the short trip down to Miami to battle the Heat in a Southeast division showdown.
One game separated the Magic and Heat in the 2023-24 East standings, enough to be the difference in a guaranteed playoff spot and having to earn a first round appearance through the Play-In Tournament. But Wednesday’s contest wipes the slate clean, being the first step in Orlando’s 82-game run to defend the franchise’s seventh-ever division crown. The Magic are striving for new heights this year, and with preseason in the rearview mirror for good, Orlando is eager for the games to start counting for real.
Not just because its against one of the team’s deepest rivals. But simply because Miami wears a different color jersey than their own.
“How exciting to get to go down to Miami game one, right down the road, with a team that we know is going to give us a challenge both mentally and physically,” guard Jalen Suggs said, fresh off his contract extension with the team a day earlier. “Really excited to… start playing real, meaningful games, Not that the preseason ones weren’t, but it’s different. These ones count. You can’t get them back.”
“Everybody’s excited to get the season underway,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said at Tuesday’s practice, the final one before his team hit the tarmac. “It’s about time.”
Orlando’s group hitting the floor Wednesday night will look similar to years past. The reason? The Magic’s continuity has bred more success the longer they’ve been together, and calculated external additions have come together on a basis of need.
That’s why this group feels it’s afforded the ability to dream bigger and aim higher in the grand scheme of the Eastern Conference. As a collective, the same core has carried the Magic from nobody to somebody in the league’s big picture in quick succession. But Orlando doesn’t want just a cup of coffee with the league’s elites – they feel they’ve earned a seat at the table.
“I think we’re prepared,” forward Franz Wagner said. “I think obviously with more years of playing together, I think we’re further ahead than the last couple of years.”
The Magic left it to the end before securing a spot in the playoffs last year, defeating Milwaukee to earn the fifth seed on the regular season’s final day. Upon reflection, that’s a spot Suggs said Tuesday that Orlando felt it “really didn’t have to be in.”
Given how they’re approaching this year and considering the additional seasoning the Magic have together, sustaining the string of success or, better yet, improving upon it is a real possibility Orlando can foresee playing out.
At least, that’s what indications throughout training camp told Mosley.
“I keep going back to how well they’re communicating with each other,” Mosley said. “Knowing the ups and downs and what’s going to happen throughout the season, they’ve communicated a lot of that already.
“I think that’s been the biggest point for these guys. Knowing exactly what we’re facing and how we have to go about it and how we’ll approach it with a mindset of believing what we’re capable of doing, and then stepping on the floor every night and proving it.”
Orlando’s road start is a taste of what’s to come early in the year. The Magic, among the NBA’s strongest groups at home while experiencing their fair share of struggles away from Orlando last year, play the role of visitor in 16 of its first 26 games this season. To make those aspirations come true of exceeding last year’s high marks, they’ll have to overcome the latter at a higher success rate.
“Getting off to the right start is something that we’ve spoke about, something that we believe in,” Suggs said. “Everybody’s mind is fully focused on the game and getting this thing rolling.”
Orlando Magic
No injuries to report.
Miami Heat
Josh Richardson: OUT (illness/left heel)
Who: Orlando Magic vs. Miami Heat
When: Wednesday, October 23 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Where: Kaseya Center, Miami, Florida
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida
Latest Line: Miami minus-2, o/u 208.5
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Miami, FL
Equestrian Event With Insane Prize Pool Draws Out Big Names in Miami
The Global Champions Arabians Tour (GCAT), the world’s premier Arabian horse championship series, hit Miami, Florida, where the celebrities were out in force.
The GCAT is an exclusive, high-stakes international championship show designed to showcase the beauty, form, and movement of Purebred Arabian horses.
Over this past weekend, the event transformed Miami Beach into a world-class equestrian stage, welcoming over 100 horses and handlers from across the globe to compete for crucial GCAT points and a share of the Americas circuit’s $2.7 million prize fund.
It also was quite the party featuring surprise sets by 50 Cent and Sean Paul, and a Closing Ceremony performance by Jason Derulo.
Other big names in the sports world showed up, including influencer and former Chicago Bulls Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen’s ex-wife Larsa Pippen, former Miami Hurricanes star and New Orleans Saints Super Bowl champion Jonathan Vilma, and professional golfer Paris Hilinski.
Larsa certainly stood out in this red dress:
Meanwhile, Vilma was back in Miami where he played for some of the best ‘Canes teams from 2000-2003.
Also, the likes of DJ Khaled, Bethenny Frankel, Kiki Barth, Mario Carbone, the Mayor of Miami Steven Meiner, Daymond John, Romero Britto, Stephanie and Masoud Shojaee, Terrence J, Oliver Trevena, Miami Beach Commissioner Joe Magazine.
It was quite the weekend.
“Miami Beach has once again proven to be an extraordinary stage for the Global Champions Arabians Tour,” said Faleh Al Nasr, Chairman of the Global Champions Arabians Tour. “The energy, the international audience, and the level of competition we witnessed this weekend reflect exactly what GCAT stands for. To see this sport brought to life in such an iconic destination, alongside world-class hospitality and entertainment, is incredibly meaningful as we continue to grow our presence across the Americas.”
Miami, FL
Hawks sitting all usual starters against Miami
Kevin Chouinard: Hawks missing lots of players tonight. For tonight’s game at Miami: Mo Gueye (right shoulder inflammation) is questionable. Nickeil Alexander-Walker (right great toe sprain) is out. Dyson Daniels (left great toe sprain) is out. Jalen Johnson (rest) is out. Jonathan Kuminga (left knee injury management) is out. Jock Landale (right high ankle sprain) is out. CJ McCollum (rest) is out. Onyeka Okongwu (left index finger sprain) is out. Gabe Vincent (left knee inflammation) is out.
This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Hawks sitting all usual starters against Miami
Miami, FL
Who is Rueben Bain Jr\ufeff? Miami Hurricanes draft prospect visits Bengals
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor at the NFL’s annual meetings
Bengals head coach Zac Taylor discussed a number of topics at the NFL’s annual meetings during the AFC head coach breakfast
2026 NFL draft prospects Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech and Rueben Bain Jr. of University of Miami visited the Cincinnati Bengals on April 10, according to NFL Network, along with fellow Miami Hurricanes edge Akheem Mesidor.
Nicknamed “Hurricane,” Bain is expected to be selected in the first round of the upcoming draft, and could be gone when the Bengals are scheduled to select at 10th overall.
Todd McShay has said he expects the Bengals to strongly consider Bain with the 10th pick. Yahoo! Sports’ Nate Tice has the Bengals taking Bain at No. 10.
“The Bengals go with the antithesis of their first-round selection from a year ago, trading the high-end tools and low-end production of Shemar Stewart with the top-end production and effort but lack of ideal length of Bain,” Tice wrote. “If Stewart taps into even a small portion of his talent and with Boye Mafe joining in free agency, the Bengals’ edge spots could be more impactful in a hurry and feel a lot different soon.”
What to know about Bain, who was a college teammate of Bengals offensive lineman Jalen Rivers for two seasons:
Bain played three seasons for the Hurricanes.
As a junior in 2025, Bain was named second-team Associated Press All-American, ACC defensive player of the year and first-team All-ACC.
Bain started all 16 games in his final season at Miami, recording 54 tackles and 15.5 tackles for loss with 9.5 sacks, an interception, a pass breakup and a forced fumble).
Bain earned the Ted Hendricks Award, given annually to college football’s top defensive end. He was a finalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy, given to the nation’s top defender with Integrity, Maturity, Performance, Academics, Community, Tenacity.
As a sophomore in 2024, Bain was named honorable mention all-ACC. He started nine games, and missed four games because of an injury.
A freshman All-American, Bain was named third-team all-ACC and ACC defensive rookie of the year in his first season with the ‘Canes. He led the team that season with three forced fumbles, and tied for the team lead with 7.5 sacks.
Lance Zierlein’s NFL comparison for Bain is the Philadelphia Eagles’ Brandon Graham.
“Note taker, grudge holder and block destructor with a compact frame and defensive tackle play strength,” Zierlein wrote in Bain’s NFL.com draft profile. “Bain is ill-tempered with his take-ons, hitting blockers with heavy hand strikes. … Bain’s explosive power and toughness should translate, giving him a high floor as an NFL starter.”
Daniel Jeremiah compares Bain to former NFL linebacker Melvin Ingram.
A USA Today mock draft had Bain going ninth overall, to the Chiefs.
Interestingly, Bain visited Kansas City one day before his reported Cincinnati visit.
Bain has dismissed post-combine discussion of his arm length. At 30 7/8 inches, Bain’s arms are among the shortest in the class.
“I didn’t hear it until later in the year, but it kind of surprised me because I never heard it all my life,” Bain said at the combine. “I don’t give it the time of day, honestly.”
“Mike Tyson, he wasn’t the tallest guy, wasn’t the longest-limbed guy, but when you felt him, you felt him,” Bain told NFL Network’s Cameron Wolfe. “You kept your distance.”
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