Another week, another controversy linking the Internet and potential rules violation to embattled Heat forward Michael Beasley.

This time, Beasley was left to defend himself Saturday after photos were posted on celebrity gossip website TMZ.com that showed him asleep on a boat with open beer bottles on a nearby table.

Beasley, 20, said Saturday he did not see the photos and denied being involved with underage drinking. A Heat spokesman confirmed a fan took the photos on Oct. 10 as Beasley was aboard a boat in Miami Beach for a fishing trip arranged by the team.

Beasley is in the NBA's substance-abuse program and is one rules violation away from a potential suspension. He spent seven weeks over the summer in a Houston drug-rehabilitation program and has been meeting with a counselor once a week since he returned on Sept. 20 to prepare for the season.

``I'm not trying to worry about it because I really didn't do anything,'' Beasley said after practice. ``I didn't have any alcohol at all. I've been told the pictures came from a fan that posted them out of the goodness of his heart and didn't mean harm.''

Taft Sibley, captain of the boat used for the fishing trip, issued a statement Saturday that said the alcoholic beverages belonged to another group of guests and that Beasley had not been drinking. Beasley's counselor was also on the boat.

A Heat spokesman said the team has explained the incident to the league, and that no action is expected to be taken by the NBA. Over the summer, Beasley also was caught in the middle of an Internet photo flap when a pictured was posted on his Twitter account. In that photo, Beasley was showing off his latest tattoo. But in the background of the photo there appeared to be two small bags of marijuana on a table.

That photo surfaced in late August around the same time Beasley was in Houston. He was moved from an outpatient program to a more strict overnight facility after he committed a rules violation.

Another incident occurred on Oct. 13, when Beasley responded in jest to a question posted on a live U-stream Internet feed about his ability to conceal marijuana use.

Beasley was asked Saturday if he has consumed alcohol or drugs since he returned from Houston.

``I don't drink, and I don't smoke anymore,'' Beasley said. ``I keep it sober. My [sobriety] date is 8-6-09.''

Teammates came to Beasley's defense Saturday, with guard Dwyane Wade suggesting the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft is a victim of circumstances.

``I think he's starting to realize that if you get into one thing, then other things start to come out at him,'' Wade said. ``The picture phone is one of the worst things invented in the world. A picture taken in point-tenths of a second can make something look totally different than what it is. You have to deal with it and just move on.''

Coach Erik Spoelstra said the off-court issues are growing tiresome. But he instead wants Beasley to focus on preparing for Wednesday's opener against New York.

``It's just what he's going to have to deal with right now and what the franchise is going to have to deal with,'' Spoelstra said. ``We're behind him 100 percent. It was a [fishing] trip that was organized by us, and it was all taken out of context.''

• The Heat will hold an open practice Sunday at AmericanAirlines Arena from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The session is free and open to the public. Fans are encouraged to park in the P2 lot at the arena, but space is limited. The first 500 fans will receive a gift.

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