The Miami Heat will not be whole until the Oct. 26 season opener at TD Garden against the Boston Celtics.
And for the next few days, the team won't even be intact in South Florida.
Coach Erik Spoelstra said Friday he no longer is hopeful of getting sidelined guard Dwyane Wade into one of the team's final three exhibitions.
Any word that pertains to speed best describes Heat guard Eddie House.
His coach says he talks fast. His teammates say he's quick to crack a joke on anyone who is slipping on their attire for the day.
But House, for once, is taking his time.
Offseason shoulder surgery has slowed him in the preseason. He's yet to play a game, but is awaiting to give the Heat a shot of energy.
The message from one influential member of the Miami Heat on the eve of the season: Don't fear the hype.
No, not the relentless hype about the Heat's upcoming season. Considering the Heat have not won a playoff series since taking the 2006 NBA championship, South Florida fans have earned the right to savor a bit of eve-of-season giddiness.
We're talking about the other hype, the sky-is-falling propaganda coming out of the ongoing negotiations over a new collective-bargaining agreement, talks that have raised concerns about a potential 2011-12 lockout.