The Miami Heat kick off a five-game homestand Friday night when they host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center. The Timberwolves are playing well, but the Heat might be emboldened after an impressive performance in Cleveland (despite a disappointing outcome).
This homestand is huge for Miami’s playoff push. Winning three or four games feels necessary to hold onto the top seed in the play-in tournament and keep alive whatever chance they have of climbing into sixth.
Here’s what to know for Friday night’s tilt.
How to watch Heat vs Timberwolves
Time: 8 pm ET
Location: Kaseya Center, Miami
TV: FanDuel Sports Network
Stream: NBA League Pass, Fubo
Notable injuries
The Heat will be without Kel’el Ware after Ware sprained his knee last weekend. Andrew Wiggins, who has missed four straight games with a right ankle sprain, has been upgraded to questionable. Jaime Jaquez Jr., who missed the last three with a right ankle sprain, is also upgraded to questionable.
Tyler Herro, who missed Wednesday’s loss in Cleveland with a head cold, is questionable.
Alec Burks has been added to the injury report and is listed as questionable with low back pain.
The Timberwolves have only one player listed on the injury report: Rudy Gobert is questionable with low back injury maintenance.
Key matchups
The Timberwolves have won three in a row with Julius Randle back in the lineup. With Gobert out, Naz Reid has stepped into the starting lineup. Randle and Reid are clicking and providing some immediate offense alongside Anthony Edwards. Miami’s defense will have their work cut out for them.
Bam Adebayo will be central in limiting what Minnesota’s bigs can do. With Ware still sidelined, Kevin Love could see another start against the franchise that drafted him.
Davion Mitchell will pick up Edwards from the jump. Miami will also use a fair amount of zone to keep Edwards and Minnesota’s bigs out of the paint.
An underrated battleground to monitor: Three-point shooting. The Timberwolves, led by Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo, get them up. The Heat will need to keep pace from beyond the arc to keep this one competitive.
Betting
The Timberwolves are 4.5-point favorites in Miami.