Hassan Whiteside on motivation: ‘I’ve got a lot I want to earn’: About an hour before he went out and led the Heat to a statement-making 108-96 season-opening victory Wednesday night in Orlando, Hassan Whiteside was asked about one of his recent Snapchat video segments, the one where he complains about how his video game skills are diminishing. “I don’t know, man,” the 7-footer answered with a grin. “Basketball keeps getting in the way. I’ve got to get my priorities straight.” For those wondering if his new $98 million contract and new multi-million-dollar home outfitted with a new super-sized fish tank are going to distract him from his new priorities as the Heat’s new front man, Whiteside’s opening night performance should provide some reassurance he’s probably not going to let that happen. -- The Miami Herald

Heat’s new player intro video taps into theme for the season: Go ahead and doubt us: The Miami Heat released its new player introduction video on Thursday afternoon -- just in time to get fans exciting before the home opener at 8 p.m. Friday night against the Charlotte Hornets. The accompanying song Blow Your Mind by Ohana Bam taps right into the theme for the team this season. Among the lyrics: “Better not be one to doubt us... cause we’re going to blow your mind.” -- The Miami Herald

How did Rodney McGruder feel just an hour before his NBA debut?: Just an hour before the start of his first NBA game, Heat guard Rodney McGruder sat in front of his locker with headphones on and just tried to stay calm. “It’s exciting. It’s a lifelong dream, but I’m just trying to stay even-keeled, though,” McGruder said before Wednesday’s win over the Magic. “It’s exciting and it’s a lifelong dream, but we got to just stay the course and act like we’ve been here before because if you don’t, you can get into the moment and you’re too anxious.” It didn’t take long for McGruder to have his moment, as he entered Wednesday’s game with 1:41 remaining in the first quarter of the season opener. -- The Palm Beach Post

Heat challenge is to remain in attack mode as home opener looms: Even when the 3-pointers were going up and swishing down during the preseason, even when the lineup card was being submitted without Dwyane Wade's name in its usual place, even when he was crafting rotations with spacing in mind, Erik Spoelstra never wavered on the touchstone that ultimately produced a season-opening victory against the Orlando Magic: The Miami Heat will remain an attack team. -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Josh McRoberts no longer listed on Heat injury report: For the first time since May 15, forward Josh McRoberts no longer is on the Miami Heat's injury report. McRoberts, who broke his foot in a game two days before that May 15 appearance in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Toronto Raptors and then suffered a stress reaction while attempting to rehabilitate from the fracture in August, had been listed as out during the preseason for what the team's official injury report listed as "right foot." -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel