A presidential visit

A day before Presidents Day, the Heat got a visit from a popular former commander-in-chief Sunday.

Former President Bill Clinton watched the Heat beat the Magic, sitting courtside next to Heat owner Micky Arison at AmericanAirlines Arena.

Clinton sat a couple of seats away from ABC’s broadcast team and applauded for the Heat throughout the game. Clinton appeared particularly impressed during a couple of highlight-reel, alley-oop connections between LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

“It’s humbling, honestly, considering how busy he is,” James said. “Any time a president takes time to go to a sporting event, it’s definitely humbling. I’m glad we could win the game while he was here.”

Others attending Sunday's game and sitting courtside: Singer Chris Brown, who won a Grammy last weekend, and rapper Lil Wayne.

During the third quarter, Clinton was presented with a Heat jersey with the No. 42 on it by the team.

Clinton stood and received a standing ovation. Clinton also caught a loose ball that went out of bounds off Magic forward Ryan Anderson and bounced right to him.

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said during the postgame news conference that he was so focused on the game, he did not notice Clinton sitting courtside.

Wade, however, said he immediately saw Clinton.

“Unlike coach, I noticed,” Wade said. “I definitely noticed.”

UM baseball fan

The day before facing his former team, Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy arrived in Miami with some free time. He didn’t go catch some sun on South Beach, however.

“I lived here 11 years, and I think I went to South Beach three times, and it was always because of one of our team functions,” Van Gundy said.

Instead, the former Heat coach was visiting his daughter and enjoying one of his longtime passions — University of Miami baseball.

Van Gundy visited his daughter, who attends UM. Along with her and his brother, Jeff, the Van Gundys attended UM’s victory Saturday night against Rutgers.

Van Gundy, who is good friends with longtime Hurricanes coach Jim Morris, said Morris offered him chair-back seats at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field.

But Van Gundy, a longtime fan, said it would take away from the experience and respectfully declined.

“I’ve been following [UM baseball] forever and going to see them play at home the right way; you have to sit on the cement rows,” Van Gundy said. “Those games are not meant to be seen sitting on chair backs. That’s the true [Mark Light Field] experience. We had a great time.”

•  Dexter Pittman played Sunday for the first time since sustaining a deep shoulder bruise. Pittman, the Heat’s 6-11, 285-pound backup center, missed the previous three games. Pittman missed all three of his shots from the field. On the second one, Pittman attempted a hook shot with his injured arm that came up short and appeared to grimace on the play.

• Center Mickell Gladness and guard Terrel Harris were the only scratches from the lineup.

Andre c. fernandez