Heat and Blazers win their first NBA games since Rozier and Billups arrests

NEW YORK: In their first game since guard Terry Rozier was arrested in an FBI sports gambling probe, his Miami Heat teammates unleashed a scoring barrage in a 146-114 NBA win at Memphis on Friday.

Bam Adebayo scored 24 points and reserve Nikola Jovic added 20 to lead eight double-digit scorers as the Heat (1-1) produced the third-highest one-game point total in team history.

Miami also scored a one-half team record 86 points in the first two quarters in taking a 86-47 halftime lead, the largest in Heat history dating to 1988.

As the scandal swirled around the league on the fourth day of the 2025-26 campaign, Adebayo made it clear Rozier has Heat players’ backing him.

“We stand behind him. Full support,” Adebayo said. “You support him through and through. That’s our brother at the end of the day.”

Rozier and Portland head coach Chauncey Billups were placed on indefinite leave by the NBA after being arrested Thursday in the gambling investigation.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the hectic NBA schedule leaves the team no choice but to move ahead quickly without Rozier, who didn’t play in a season-opening loss on Wednesday.

“Terry is somebody who is very dear to all of us,” Spoelstra said. “He’s had a real positive impact on our locker room... We send our thoughts and our care for him as he goes through this.”

Portland routed visiting Golden State 139-119 in the first Trail Blazers contest since Billups was arrested, with Brazilian Tiago Splitter guiding the effort as Portland’s interim head coach.

“We all had great experiences with Chauncey and how he coached,” Splitter said. “We’re thinking of him and his family but we have a job to do.”

Israeli forward Deni Avdija’s 26 points led eight Trail Blazers scorers in