🔗 Share this article

The Heat claimed a crushing 146 to 114 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in their initial basketball game after player Rozier was detained for alleged unlawful sports betting.

Trail Blazers head coach Billups was also arrested as part of a extensive FBI probe into illegal gambling. The two individuals contest the allegations.

But, the Miami team were focused as they scored eighty-six opening half points to lead Memphis by 39 at halftime, the largest halftime lead in the franchise's 37 year history.

Bam Adebayo top-scored with 24 scores and later said Rozier had the team's full backing.

"We support him. Complete backing," Bam said. "You support him through and through. That's our brother at the end of the day."

Miami head coach Spoelstra added: "Terry is somebody who is very dear to everyone. He has made a beneficial influence on our locker room.

"We send our thoughts and support for him as he faces the situation."

The Trail Blazers additionally won their first game since the arrests, with Brazil-born Splitter stepping in as temporary head coach in Chauncey's absence and guiding the squad to a convincing 139-119 victory over the Warriors.

"Everyone experienced great experiences with Billups and how he coached," Tiago said. "Our thoughts are with him and his family but we have a job to do."

League Commissioner Silver 'Disturbed' by Arrests

Addressing the arrests for the first time, league head Silver stated he was "very upset" by the incidents of the recent days.

"Nothing is more critical to the NBA and supporters than the fairness of the competition," he told Amazon Prime. "And so I felt uneasy. It was disturbing."

Silver further said an NBA investigation into the player's actions in March 2023, when there was "aberrational betting" in a match he played for the Charlotte Hornets against the Pelicans, discovered no wrongdoing.

"We were informed by the regulators and the betting companies," he continued.

"We then looked into that situation and were very transparent regarding it. And while there was that aberrational betting, we, frankly, couldn't find anything.

"The federal government has subpoena power... [it] can threaten to put people in jail, can do all kinds of things that the league office is unable to.

"So, we've been working with them from that point. And, of course, what they revealed yesterday was an indictment.

"And 30 months later, he has not been found guilty of any offense, in fairness to Terry.

"Obviously, it doesn't look good, but he's been suspended, and so it is a compromise in this case between upholding rights and investigating."

Other NBA Results

Elsewhere, Lakers player Luka Doncic recorded more than 40 scores for the second game in a row to begin the campaign.

Following scoring 43 scores in a season-opening loss to the Warriors, the Slovenian put up forty-nine points - along with eleven boards and eight assists - as the Lakers defeated the Timberwolves 128-110.

From Greece player Giannis Antetokounmpo also had a strong performance with thirty-one scores, twenty rebounds and seven assists in the Bucks' 122 to 116 victory at the Raptors.

Rockets were defeated 115 to 111 by the Pistons despite thirty-seven scores from Kevin Durant, while Wembanyama had 29 scores, eleven boards and 9 blocks in the Spurs' extra-time victory over the Pelicans.