The game between the Heat and the Timberwolves came down to the wire, with the “Wolves” prevailing 125-124 at the Kaseya Center and handing Erik Spoelstra’s team its first preseason loss. Miami played without several of its starters, as both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo were sidelined, while Davion Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, Klay Thompson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bobby Portis were also not used.
Minnesota controlled the game for much of the night and entered the fourth quarter with a 91-84 lead. The Heat, however, mounted a strong comeback down the stretch, scoring 40 points in the final 12 minutes and coming within a hair’s breadth of a comeback victory. The final possession went to Ryan Conwell with Miami down by one, but the outcome remained unchanged, with Spoelstra taking a positive view of how the young player handled that particular moment.
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Among the players who capitalized most on the many absences was Nikola Jović. The 23-year-old finished the game with 16 points, shooting 7-for-11 from the field and 2-for-2 from three-point range, along with 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals in 25 minutes. He already had 12 points and 6 rebounds in the first half, with Spoelstra particularly highlighting his intensity and defensive attitude, even after making mistakes of his own.
The Heat finished the game shooting 16-for-34 from three-point range and scoring 54 points in the paint, but the Timberwolves got significant help from the transition game, where they scored 23 points to Miami’s 14. The Florida team fell to a 2-1 record in the preseason, as did Minnesota, with the two teams set to meet again on October 21, this time to kick off the regular season.
*photo source: AP
