Vice style among Heat’s uniform options for NBA restart

It will be a black-and-blue (as well as red-and-white) restart for the Miami Heat at the NBA’s resumption at Disney World.

The NBA has finalized the jersey choices for the teams during the eight-game regular-season reset at the Wide World of Sports complex, a schedule the league has termed “seeding” games.

With their Vice-themed court from AmericanAirlines Arena already being utilized as part of a ballroom practice facility at Disney, the Heat now will take those colors to the court, with a pair of appearances scheduled in their “Blue Gale” Vicethemed City Edition jerseys, first on Aug. 4 against the Boston Celtics and then on Aug. 10 against the Indiana Pacers.

The Heat introduced the latest Vice jerseys in November with a statement noting, “ViceWave shifts the action from Miami at night neons to the sun-soaked brightness of South Beach afternoon, with the color ‘Blue Gale’ taking center stage. The campaign features Heat players with unbridled emotions, stationed amid sunny bayside vistas, reflecting a narrative change that recognized Miami’s unique night-time vibe.”

Or, in this case, in games to be played in the absence of fans, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

But clearly marketing will be ongoing, with the Heat to play in four jersey styles over their eight-game schedule prior to the playoffs.

The Heat’s jersey schedule

Aug. 1 vs. Denver Nuggets: White Association.

Aug. 3 vs. Toronto Raptors: Black Icon. Aug. 4 vs. Boston Celtics: Blue Vice.

Aug. 6 vs. Milwaukee Bucks: Black Icon. Aug. 8 vs. Phoenix Suns: Red Statement. Aug. 10 vs. Indiana Pacers: Blue Vice. Aug. 12 vs. Oklahoma City Thunder: White Association.

Aug. 14 vs. Indiana Pacers: Black Icon.

After previously playing in white, black and then fuchsia Vice-themed jerseys, the Heat moved into the blue motif this season, having been scheduled to wear the jerseys an additional five times after the league’s March 11 shutdown, when positive COVID-19 tests led to the suspension of play.

Players will be allowed to wear social statements in place of their names on the backs of their jerseys for the first four games of the reset, and may continue on with the messages, which then would be accompanied by nameplates.

The Heat will play three exhibition-type scrimmages prior to the seeding games, to be followed by a berth in the best-of-seven opening round of the NBA playoffs, which are scheduled to begin Aug. 17.