Post-Game Grades: Miami Heat Beat Timberwolves 102-92
By Wes Goldberg
86. 102. 110. Final. 92
Dwyane Wade was efficient, Chris Bosh was big down the stretch and Norris Cole bounced back in the Miami Heat’s win against the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday night.
Miami Heat. DWYANE WADE. A. Everything went through Dwyane Wade tonight, especially in the first half when most of Miami’s possessions started with Wade in the post. He had a balanced game of scoring and distributing, and it is quite clear Wade has taken another step in his career as being a very good distributor of the ball. Even though the Timberwolves made a late rally with a 9-0 run in the fourth quarter, Wade iced the game with a long two-pointer over the defending Andrew Wiggins and, two possessions later, split the double team on his way to the dagger dunk. Stats: 11-16 for 25 points, 1 rebound, 8 assists, 2 steals, 2 turnovers in 29:34.. SG
B. Bosh struggled early, making just three of his first-half shots. But he bounced back, finishing with 24 points and hitting an important two-pointer over Pek with 2:20 left in the game to give the Heat a 96-90 lead. <em>Stats: 9-21 (0-2 3FG, 6-6 FT) for 24 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 0 turnovers in 35:29.</em>. C. Miami Heat. CHRIS BOSH
Heat fans were clamoring for a bounce back game from Cole, and our own <a title=. PG. Miami Heat. NORRIS COLE. B
B-. The Miami Heat struggled to defend Dwight Howard and Al Jefferson in the last two games, with the two combining for 54 points and 20 rebounds against Miami. What was worse was how easy those points came since the Heat didn’t have a real center to throw at them (and Chris Andersen was out with a rib injury). It was obvious the Heat needed to make an adjustment. Against the Timberwolves’ Nikola Pekovic, the Heat did their best to keep him away from the rim. When the Wolves got the ball to him down low, the Heat doubled him right away, putting defenders on either side of him in order to close his space to work. Pek still had a good game, going 6-10 for 19 points and 11 rebounds, but they at least made it tougher on him than it was for Big Al and Dwight. <em>Stats: Points in the paint – Minnesota 48, Miami 42. Rebounds – Minnesota 49, Miami 40</em>.. . Miami Heat. DEFENSE ON BIG MEN