MIAMI - Who said the days of significant centers are dead in the NBA?
Not the 1-0 Miami Heat or the 1-0 Charlotte Hornets, who meet Friday night at AmericanAirlines Arena.
It will be the home opener for the Heat, who remade their team largely around 7-foot, 265-pound center Hassan Whiteside, who signed a four-year, $98 million contract extension in July.
Whiteside had 18 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks in 31 minutes on Wednesday night, leading Miami to a 108-96 win over the Orlando Magic.
"I wasn't trying to make a statement," Whiteside said when asked about his first game since signing the initial major contract of his career.