Game Preview #65 – Timberwolves at Heat

The Timberwolves take their three-game winning streak to South Beach when they face the Miami Heat. Can the Wolves continue to play great team basketball and notch wins as they continue down the critical stretch to end the season?

Minnesota Timberwolves @ Miami Heat
Date: March 7th, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM CST
Location: Kaseya Center
Television Coverage: FanDuel Sports Network North
Radio Coverage: Wolves App/iHeart Radio

Wolves vs. Heat: Time to Keep Rolling

The Minnesota Timberwolves are riding a three-game winning streak and rolling into Miami with one goal in mind: Keep climbing the standings and escape the play-in.

Despite their recent surge, they’re still stuck in seventh place in the West, staring up at the Golden State Warriors, now infused with Jimmy Butler, who have made leapfrogging them a serious challenge.

The good news? The Wolves look as strong as they have all season.

The bad news? They need to keep proving it every single night.

That starts tonight in Miami.

Why This Feels Different for the Wolves

If you told fans back in November or December that the Wolves would be playing with this kind of energy, cohesion, and focus in March, many would’ve laughed in your face.

This team was a mess for the first 60% of the season.

• Julius Randle looked like a forced puzzle piece.
• They were playing down to their competition every other night.
• The defense looked half-engaged against bad teams.
• They were dropping winnable games left and right.

But now? They finally look like a team with a real identity.

Yes, health and an easier schedule have helped. But even in October, November, and December, when they were relatively healthy and had winnable games, they weren’t playing like this.

Now? They’ve figured something out.

And the injuries to Gobert, Randle, DiVincenzo, and Conley forced some of the younger guys to step up—and they delivered.

• Terrence Shannon Jr. and Jaylen Clark have injected pure chaos energy off the bench.
• Julius Randle looks like he belongs now. No more mindless isos. He’s playing within the team’s flow, defending better, and actually passing.
• Jaden McDaniels is fully unlocked. He’s playing with confidence, attacking the rim, and expanding his offensive arsenal.

And now, we’re looking at a Wolves team that feels like a real threat in the West.

Do they remind me a little of last year’s Mavericks?

Honestly? Yeah.

Not because they play the same style—they don’t—but because they’re a team that looked like a mess for most of the season, found something that worked in the final 25 games, and suddenly became dangerous.

Wolves vs. Heat: The Task at Hand

All that positivity means nothing if they don’t handle business in Miami.

The Wolves lost to Miami earlier this year—without Jimmy Butler. So don’t let the “this team isn’t scary” narrative fool you.

They might be floundering in the standings, but they’re still gritty, physical, and capable of ruining your night if you let them hang around too long.

Keys to the Game

1. Win the Battle Inside

• Bam Adebayo is Miami’s engine. The Wolves need size to match him.
• Naz Reid and Julius Randle need to play physical, protect the rim, and own the boards.
• Rudy Gobert remains a game-time decision, but if he plays, this matchup suddenly shifts dramatically in the Wolves’ favor.

If Bam dominates the paint, it forces the Wolves’ perimeter defenders to collapse, opening up easy threes for Miami.

2. Defend the Shooters

Miami has one of those weird rosters where at least one random role player will go nuclear from deep.

• Tyler Herro is a streaky scorer, but if he gets hot, he can drop 30 on you in his sleep.
• Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Duncan Robinson can both hit big shots.

This is where McDaniels, Clark, and Alexander-Walker come in. They need to smother Miami’s wings, contest shots, and force them into bad looks.

If the Wolves let Miami hit open threes all night, this game could get dicey.

3. Keep the Offense Flowing

• No ISO-ball from Randle.
• No standaround offense waiting for Ant to bail them out.
• Move the ball, make the extra pass, and get high-quality shots.

When the Wolves’ offense is humming, they look elite.

When they start settling for contested step-back threes? That’s when the droughts kick in.

They cannot afford a 5-minute scoreless stretch like the one against Utah last week.

4. Let Ant Take Over… But Within the Flow

• Anthony Edwards has been on fire lately.
• He torched Phoenix in their win last Sunday.
• He’s scoring at will, getting to his spots, and being aggressive.

But the key is balance.

The Wolves’ best games happen when Ant scores a ton—but doesn’t do it by himself.

If he trusts his teammates and lets the game come to him, this could be a big night.

Final Thoughts: No Letdowns Allowed

This is another must-win.

I know we keep saying that. But when you’re in a brutal Western Conference playoff race, every single game matters.

• The Clippers and Warriors are right there.
• The Grizzlies and Rockets are fading.
• The 6-seed is very gettable.

But only if the Wolves keep stacking wins.

This game is winnable—but only if they play like a team that actually wants to avoid the play-in.

If they come out flat and unfocused, Miami will steal this one.

If they lock in early, hit their shots, and control the game?

They’ll leave South Beach with their fourth straight win—and a real shot at that No. 6 seed.

No excuses. Just get it done.