Heat-Timberwolves Preview

By CHRIS ALTRUDA
Posted Dec 30 2011 2:43PM

Finishing games, defending, and attacking offensively have sparked the Miami Heat, who seek just their second 4-0 start in franchise history Friday night when they visit the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Much was made of the Heat's inability to close out games in June when they lost to Dallas in the NBA finals. Thus far, they have shown an ability to deliver in crunch time - first rookie Norris Cole against Boston on Tuesday and franchise star Dwyane Wade the following night in a 96-95 victory at Charlotte.

Wade, who missed nearly all of the third quarter with a bruised foot and scored just 10 points, banked a 10-footer in the low post with 2.9 seconds left for the winning basket as Miami rallied from 15 down at halftime.

"Hey, they deserved to take my money today," said Wade, who has averaged 31.4 points on 54.9 percent shooting in his last seven games against Minnesota. "But I earned my money toward the end."

Wade is still bothered by the bruise and will decide prior to the game if he will play.

Wednesday night's rally was sparked by the defense, which forced 11 third-quarter turnovers while Miami outscored Charlotte 24-10. The Heat have recorded 32 steals and scored 85 points off 62 turnovers.

Getting those turnovers has helped LeBron James get off to a strong start offensively. He had 12 points and three steals in the third quarter Wednesday and is averaging 32.7 points on 58.9 percent shooting.

"I feel good and this is the best I've felt in a while," James said. "I'm back to having fun playing the game and doing what I do best and that's attacking and getting to the free throw line."

James is 32 of 37 from the line, and the Heat have made 73 free throws - as many as their opponents have attempted. They also have amassed a 148-92 edge in points in the paint, scoring at least 44 in each game.

Miami's other 4-0 start came in 2004-05.

Interior defending and decision-making will be critical for Minnesota (0-2), which was outscored 48-28 in the paint and committed 25 turnovers in a 98-95 defeat at Milwaukee on Tuesday. The loss overshadowed a 31-point, 20-rebound effort from Kevin Love, who made 19 of his franchise-record 24 foul shots.

"We just dug ourselves a hole we shouldn't have been in," said Love, whose team nearly overcame a 20-point deficit. "We turned the ball over too much and they made some shots."

Rookie point guard Ricky Rubio had six points, four assists and three steals in 27 minutes, but he struggled defensively against counterpart Brandon Jennings late. Fellow rookie and No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams had three points, five rebounds and four turnovers in 19 minutes after a 13-point, six-rebound debut in Monday's 104-100 loss to Oklahoma City.

Guard J.J. Barea will miss this game due to a strained left hamstring suffered late in Tuesday's loss. He averaged 13.3 points and 4.7 assists to help the Mavericks win the last three games of the finals over Miami.

This marks the beginning of a tough five-game homestand for the Wolves, who start 2012 with back-to-back games against Dallas and San Antonio. Minnesota is trying to avoid its worst start since opening 2007-08 with five losses.

Wade and James made quick work of Minnesota in a pair of lopsided wins last season. Wade averaged 29.0 points and shot 26 of 38, and James contributed 23.5 points and 11.0 assists per game.

Miami has won three straight overall versus the Timberwolves and three in a row at Minnesota.

Wade, James hold off Timberwolves

By JON KRAWCZYNSKI
Posted Dec 31 2011 12:52AM

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) LeBron James has always put up big numbers when he comes to Target Center to play the Minnesota Timberwolves. And he rarely has to break a sweat - or play in the fourth quarter - to do it.

Now that Ricky Rubio is running the point and Rick Adelman is calling the shots for the Timberwolves, James and the rest of the NBA are going to have to work for everything they get when they come to town.

Dwyane Wade hit a jumper from the wing, then scored on an inbounds pass from James with 4.6 seconds to play to lift the undefeated Heat to a 103-101 victory over the Wolves on Friday night.

Playing on a sore foot, Wade finished with 19 points, while James had 34 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds on his 27th birthday.

"I'm glad we played them early because later they're going to be trouble," Wade said. "So I think Timberwolves fans will have something to cheer about for a while here."

Rubio had 12 points, 12 assists and six rebounds, and Kevin Love had 25 points and 12 boards for the Timberwolves, who led 100-99 with 55 seconds to play.

But Wade hit a jumper and then lost Rubio on an inbounds play to make the winning bucket, one game after beating the Charlotte Bobcats with a last-second shot. Wade said he suggested the play after the Celtics used it to beat the Heat in a playoff game in 2010.

"We stole it," James said. "And D-Wade, that's two game-winners back to back, right? Good for him. I like it."

It was a crushing defeat for the upstart Wolves, who had the mighty Heat on the ropes all fourth quarter thanks to Rubio's brilliance. The Spanish rookie fed open teammates for easy buckets and hit a 3-pointer with 2:28 to play that gave them a 98-94 lead.

But James scored on a crucial three-point play and Anthony Tolliver missed two key free throws in the final minute to give Wade a chance to steal it.

"We did a lot of good things tonight," said Adelman, whose Wolves have lost their first three games of the season by a combined nine points. "It's just sooner or later you have to keep through it and give yourself a win at the end. If they stay with, they'll do that."

Anthony Randolph had 14 points and Wayne Ellington added 11 off the bench for Minnesota.

Chris Bosh had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Norris Cole scored 12 for the Heat.

It was a thrilling back-and-forth between a star-studded team that counts a loss in the NBA finals as a failure and the young up-and-comers who have lost 18 straight games dating back to last season.

Playing without veteran guard J.J. Barea, who tormented the Heat in the finals with Dallas, because of a strained right hamstring, the Wolves ripped off an 11-0 run in the final period for an 88-83 lead with 7:20 to play.

Bosh kept the Heat in it with some sharp shooting, hitting jumper after jumper just over Love's out-stretched hand.

James turned 27 on Friday, and he said earlier in the day he always plays with a little extra juice on his birthday and the numbers support that. He entered the game averaging 35.3 points, 7.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists in four previous birthday games.

True to form, he scored 15 points in the first quarter, and the Heat flustered the young Wolves into six turnovers and 39 percent shooting. Cole then scored six of the Heat's first eight points in the second quarter for a 39-26 lead, and it looked like Miami was pulling away.

But Rubio, Randolph and Ellington spearheaded a 14-0 run to put the Wolves back in front. Criticized for his shooting before coming to the NBA, Rubio hit an open jumper and added a three-point play for a 49-45 lead. Then he threw an alley-oop pass high over the rim that Randolph threw down, sending the packed Target Center crowd into a frenzy.

"We want to win and we are young and we have to learn from these experiences," Rubio said.

James turned the third quarter into a one-man dunk contest, soaring through the air for three straight that put the Heat back in control. He threw down a windmill, a baseline lob from Cole and a final one-handed hammer for a 78-72 lead.

Rubio also had a costly turnover with 1:36 to play and Ellington missed a forced jumper at the buzzer for another loss. But for the first time in a long time, the Wolves see better days right around the corner.

"They're going to be a really good team," James said. "If it's not this year, soon."

NOTES: The Heat are 4-0 for the second time in franchise history, and first since 2004-05. ... The Wolves have now sold out both home games, the first time they've sold out two in a row to start a season since 1991-92. It's their first consecutive sellouts since 2003-04, when they went to the Western Conference finals. ... James registered his 400th career regular season victory. Since he came into the league, only eight other players have been on the floor for at least 400 wins. ... Timberwolves G Malcolm Lee will miss the next six weeks after having surgery on Friday to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee.

Notebook: Heat 103, Timberwolves 101

By Jim Beilby, for NBA.com
Posted Friday December 30, 2011 11:56PM

THE FACTS: After giving Oklahoma City a scare in their home opener, the Minnesota Timberwolves gave Miami Heat all they could take on Friday, coming up just short 103-101. Miami needed a last-second alley-oop by Dwyane Wade and 34 points and 10 rebounds by LeBron James to defeat the surprisingly tough Timberwolves.

In the first quarter, this game looked like it would be a blow out. James scored 15 first quarter points as he spearheaded a 12-1 run to give Miami an early double-digit lead. But Minnesota stormed back into contention and retook the lead at 8:39 in fourth quarter on back-to-back-to-back assists by Ricky Rubio, leading to 3-pointers by Derrick Williams, Wayne Ellington, and Williams again. Kevin Love scored 25 points and 12 rebounds and Rubio got his first double-double as a pro, 12 points and 12 assists.

QUOTABLE: "They played aggressive. Physically they were unbelievable. It's hard to play against them because they play aggressive. You have to take care of the ball... if you don't, you're going to lose. I don't know how many turnovers we had, but it was similar to Milwaukee. It's one of our points we have to improve."
-- Ricky Rubio

THE STAT: Miami forced Minnesota into 25 turnovers, leading to 31 points for Miami. Minnesota contributed to their demise by making only 12 of their 20 freethrows, including three key misses in the last 1:13 of the game.

TURNING POINT: With Minnesota up three with just a little over a minute to play, James scored and was fouled by Anthony Tolliver, who had given Minnesota some very strong minutes defending James, rebounding, and scoring some key baskets. Wade scored the last two baskets for the Heat, a 22 foot step back jump shot and an alley oop off an out-of-bounds play. Ellington's long jump shot missed as time expired.

QUOTABLE II: "First of all, that's a good team down there in that locker room. You have to give them a lot of credit. That's a lot of young talent. They're going to give a lot of people a problem here at home."
-- Miami coach Erik Spoelstra

NOTABLE: Minnesota's entire bench scored in double figures. Minnesota has had back-to-back sellouts to open season for the first time since 1991-1992. Miami has started the season 4-0 for the second time in franchise history (previously, 2004-2005).

UP NEXT: For the Wolves, Sunday vs. Dallas, Monday vs. San Antonio, Wednesday vs. Memphis. For the Heat, Sunday vs. Charlotte, Monday vs. Atlanta, Wednesday vs. Indiana.

• Heat: Curry, Miller
• Timberwolves: Miller, Webster

• Heat: --
• Timberwolves: Adelman

• Lead Changes: 17
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
• Officials: #36 David Jones, #44 Eli Roe, #33 Zach Zarba
• Attendance: 19356
• Duration: 2:16