Miami @ Minnesota preview
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Last Meeting ( Dec 18, 2023 ) Minnesota 112, Miami 108
Anthony Edwards is red hot from 3-point range this season.
As long as that remains true, the Minnesota Timberwolves superstar plans to keep launching from deep.
Edwards will look to stay hot when the Timberwolves host the Miami Heat on Sunday in Minneapolis. The Timberwolves will try to increase their winning streak to four after victories over the Charlotte Hornets, Chicago Bulls and Portland Trail Blazers.
"I really can't explain it," Edwards said of his long-distance prowess. "I'm not shocked or anything because I work so hard on my trey ball. It's like, ‘Here we go, this is what was supposed to happen.' Hopefully it will keep going that way."
Edwards has been a major part of Minnesota's recent success. He scored 37 points and made 9 of 15 shots from beyond the 3-point arc against Portland, posting those numbers despite resting in the fourth quarter with the Wolves up big.
In nine games this season, Edwards has 50 3-pointers while shooting a career-best 48.1 percent from beyond the arc.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said Edwards' shooting has helped the offense hum.
"It makes the floor huge," Finch said. "He's got great range. He's taking them in the flow of the offense. He's reading the coverages in pick-and-rolls really well right now. He's playing at a high level."
Meanwhile, Miami is looking for a spark. The Heat have lost three straight against the Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets.
Miami is coming off a 135-122 defeat in Denver on Friday night. Tyler Herro led the Heat with 24 points, but Jimmy Butler scored only two points and played only seven minutes before spraining his right ankle. He won't play Sunday.
"It's always next-man-up mentality," Herro said. "We've dealt with injuries and different guys being out, me being one of them. It's always next-man-up mentality."
Butler, 35, is averaging 16.1 points, 4.9 assists and 4.8 rebounds this season.
Without Butler, the Heat will look for a better performance on defense. During their losing streak, the Heat have given up 111, 115 and 135 points, respectively.
"We've got to figure it out," Duncan Robinson said. "This group has got to figure it out. We've got some good stretches defensively. You've got to learn how to win. You've got guys that have done it before. It's just not going to come automatically."
Minnesota also places an emphasis on defense. A key on that end of the court is Rudy Gobert, who surpassed 9,000 career rebounds in Friday's win.
"Nine thousand rebounds, it's cool," Gobert said. "It makes me just sit back and realize the journey. ... I'm still on the way. I'm still working every day. We'll see how many I get when it's all over."
The Timberwolves went 2-0 against the Heat last season. Minnesota won 106-90 at home Oct. 28, 2023, and prevailed 112-108 at Miami on Dec. 18.
--Field Level Media