🔗 Share this article

Miami Heat secured a decisive 146-114 win against the Memphis Grizzlies in their first NBA game after player Terry Rozier was detained over alleged illegal gambling.

Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups was also arrested as part of a broad FBI investigation into illegal gambling. The two individuals contest the allegations.

However, the Heat were focused as they recorded 86 first-half points to be ahead of Memphis by thirty-nine after two quarters, the largest half-time advantage in the team's 37 year existence.

Bam Adebayo top-scored with 24 points and afterwards said Rozier had the support of the team.

"We stand behind him. Full support," Adebayo said. "We are with him all the way. That's our brother at the end of the day."

Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra commented: "Terry is a person who is very dear to everyone. He's had a real positive impact on our locker room.

"Our thoughts are with him and our care for him as he faces the situation."

Portland additionally secured their first game after the arrests, with Brazilian Splitter taking over as temporary head coach in Chauncey's non-attendance and leading the squad to a decisive 139 to 119 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

"We all had positive times with Chauncey and how he coached," Tiago said. "We're thinking of him and his loved ones but we have a job to do."

League Commissioner Adam Silver 'Upset' by Recent Events

Speaking about the arrests for the initial occasion, NBA commissioner Silver stated he was "very upset" by the incidents of the past few days.

"Nothing is more critical to the league and supporters than the integrity of the competition," he told Amazon Prime. "Therefore I had a pit in my stomach. It was very upsetting."

The commissioner further said an league probe into the player's actions in March 2023, when there was "aberrational betting" in a game he played for the Charlotte Hornets versus the Pelicans, found nothing untoward.

"It was brought to our attention by the regulators and the betting companies," he continued.

"We then looked into the matter and were open regarding it. Although there was the unusual wagering, we, honestly, 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 can't do.

"So, we've been cooperating from that point. Naturally, what they revealed yesterday was an indictment.

"Moreover two and a half years later, he still hasn't been convicted of anything, in justice to Terry.

"Clearly, it appears unfavorable, but he's been suspended, and so it is a balance in this case between protecting people's rights and conducting an inquiry."

Other League Outcomes

In other games, Los Angeles Lakers player Doncic scored more than 40 scores for the consecutive match straight to start the season.

After racking up forty-three scores in a first defeat to the Warriors, the Slovenian put up 49 scores - to go with 11 boards and 8 assists - as the Los Angeles beat the Timberwolves 128-110.

From Greece player Giannis Antetokounmpo additionally had a big night with thirty-one scores, twenty rebounds and 7 passes in the Bucks' 122-116 win at the Toronto Raptors.

Houston Rockets were defeated 115-111 by the Detroit Pistons despite 37 points from Durant, while Wembanyama had twenty-nine scores, eleven rebounds and 9 rejections in the Spurs' extra-time victory over the Pelicans.