Heat lean on youth as preseason shakes up lineup

MIAMI — The Miami Heat fell 112-107 to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center, dropping to 0-3 in the preseason but offering glimpses of a roster in transition after a busy offseason that included trading Jimmy Butler and adding Andrew Wiggins. The exhibition showcased Miami's younger players and left coach Erik Spoelstra publicly weighing lineup options with several veterans sidelined by injury.

Rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis, making his preseason debut after a wrist issue, energized the second unit with eight points and 10 assists in 25 minutes. Spoelstra praised the 19-year-old's approach, saying the newcomer was "courageous enough to try to make the play" and added that his energy and speed stood out. Jakucionis paired effectively with second-year center Kelel Ware, whose length and finishing turned seven of Jakucionis' assists into points. Ware finished with 29 points and 12 rebounds on Wednesday, a bounce-back from an earlier game in which Spoelstra criticized his impact despite strong box-score numbers.

Nikola Jovic, the 22-year-old forward recently signed to a four-year extension, has emerged as a central figure in the retooled offense. Jovic said...