Late saturday afternoon the Miami HEAT faced the Minnesota Timberwolves in Miami, which was the start of Miami HEAT Mascot- Burnies birthday weekend! The HEAT were on a 4 game win streak beating the hawks, pacers, nuggets & pistons. The Minnesota Timberwolves had lost 3 of last 4 games. Miami played without Pelle Larsson, Tyler Herro & Keshad Johnson.
Early game, same 5️⃣. Let's go HEAT 🔥The start of the 1Q had a playoff like feel for a January day game. Rudy Gobert & Anthony Edward’s were impacting the game the most for Minnesota. The Timberwolves came out pacing the game on offense with their physicality & making shots. Miami looked outmatched physically in this game from the start, getting little offensively in the early part of the 1st quarter.
The HEAT starters couldn’t get much offense going & were pulled 6 minutes into the game in hopes that the bench could provide a spark.
Sun Sentinel writer Ira Winderman said on X, “Heat wanting nothing to do with Rudy Gobert at the rim, consistently looking for bailout passes.”
Early on, the Timberwolves defense was a real problem for the HEAT.
Miami HEAT writer Couper Moorhead tweeted, “Wolves just had one of the best defensive possessions I've seen against Miami all season.”
Kel’el Ware had a nice blocked dunk ⬇️
Norm Powell left with a right leg injury with 2 minutes left in the 1Q. The Heat got off to rocky start offensively but settled in late. Miami brought the game closer, coming back from down 10 as Jaquez jr sparked the HEAT off the bench.
Couper Moorhead stated “Just as it was against Detroit, Miami is struggling in the halfcourt but getting plenty of early offense in part thanks to forcing turnovers.”
“Timberwolves went up 10 early, take 27-25 lead into second period on Heat. Jovic with 7 for Heat. Edwards 14 for Minnesota. As Alex Rodriguez looks on.” tweeted Ira Winderman.
At the start of the 2Q the HEAT were playing with more energy than they did earlier in the game.
But the Timberwolves got Julius Randle involved more on offense as he & Anthony Edwards helped pace Minnesota to a 10 point lead in the 2Q. Jaime Jaquez jr left the game with an injury & wouldn’t return, but Norm Powell did return. The HEAT struggled offensively in the half court vs the Timberwolves length & physicality.
Brady Hawk from 5 Reasons Sports tweeted,
“From the Powell leg soreness to the Jovic knee to the thigh to now the Jaquez ankle tweak. Been a physical first half, Jaquez to the locker room.”
Every time the HEAT would get it under a 10 point lead, Minnesota would push the lead back up.
Ira Winderman tweeted. “Wolves keep going up 10, Heat keep closing, Wolves keep opening.”
Coming out of halftime, The HEAT needed to pick up the pace on offense as Minnesota likes to play at a slower pace.
The HEAT kept attacking & actually took the lead in the 3rd quarter. Norm Powell & Andrew Wiggins gave the HEAT a huge lift by making shots in the halfcourt offense.
But, Timberwolves Power Forward Julius Randle had another big quarter offensively giving the HEAT a big challenge to deal with.
Check out the Deal of the Game!
Naz Reid, Anthony Edwards & Julius Randle gave the Timberwolves the offensive they needed to stay in front of the HEAT.
Ira W tweets, “Timberwolves 90, Heat 86 going into fourth. Powell 16 for Heat. Edwards 25 for Wolves.”
In the 4Q the Timberwolves picked the HEAT apart with their offensive pace pushing the Minnesota lead to 19. It turned into a Minnesota basketball clinic in the 4th quarter.
The Timberwolves ran away with the game in the 4Q. Five Reasons Sports tweeted, “The Heat gave away this game with Anthony Edwards off the floor. This shows the importance of Jaquez Jr. to anchor the bench.”
The Miami bench made a little 7 point run with 3 minutes left, but it was too late & not enough. The Miami HEAT were outscored 35-29 in the 4Q & Minnesota snapped Miami’s 4 game win streak. Both teams will play again this upcoming tuesday in Minnesota.
Back again tomorrow.
FINAL: HEAT 115, Timberwolves 125
Powell: 21pts
Jović: 14pts, 4asts
Mitchell: 14pts, 6asts
Adebayo: 12pts, 9rebs
Wiggins: 12pts, 2stls
Ware: 11pts, 8rebs
The Heat had their moments, but again they met an elite defense and the game was decided by halfcourt efficiency, and the eventual lack thereof as the Wolves pulled away in the fourth.
Coup’s Takeaways:
Follow me on X (Twitter) if you can!
