"Before Michael Beasley made his NBA debut, Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra requested patience with the No. 2 overall selection in last June's draft.

"It's going to take some time," Spoelstra said prior to tonight's 95-91 overtime exhibition loss to the Detroit Pistons at AmericanAirlines Arena.

It did. It took until the start of the second half.

Utilized mostly among reserves in his three-point first half, Beasley then thrived when deployed alongside Dwyane Wade and Shawn Marion in a 13-point third quarter.

"He got into his rhythm," Spoelstra said.

The forward out of Kansas State finished with 16 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes, turning early nerves into the type of tangible statistics the Heat desperately needs for a climb from last season's NBA-worst 15-67 record.

"I got my feet wet a little bit," he said. "It's just so much stuff you've got to learn."

Beasley put together his performance with the type of zeal that was in such short supply last season.

"I don't think Michael's fazed by any of this," Spoelstra said before his own NBA coaching debut. "He'll probably walk out there and wonder where everybody is, wonder why the arena's not totally jam-packed to see him play."

Showing no sign of the groin injury that limited him at the start of camp, Beasley proved elusive and athletic in the post, albeit it while mostly matched against neophyte Pistons forward Amir Johnson.

Beyond Beasley, the Heat got a surprisingly solid effort from center Mark Blount, who closed with 12 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes, as well a hop-in-his-step performance from Wade, who finished with 11 points, seven assists and three steals in 22 minutes, already looking better than at almost any point during his injury-riddled 2007-08.

The Heat opened with Blount at center, Marion at power forward, Yakhouba Diawara at small forward, Wade at shooting guard and Chris Quinn at point guard.

"I wouldn't read too much into this lineup," Spoelstra warned.

Part of that was because power forward Udonis Haslem was held out as a precaution due to the sprained left foot that has limited him since the start of camp.

The Heat also was without forwards James Jones (wrist) and Dorell Wright (knee), as well as guards Shaun Livingston (knee) and Jason Richards (knee). It later lost Quinn with a sprained left ankle."