MIAMI – Those hoping for another chippy, trash-talking affair between Jimmy Butler and his former team were left disappointed Saturday when the Heat announced Butler would miss the game because of a toe injury.
Butler sat on the Heat bench in a hoodie, and had just as much an impact on the game as the rappers Future and Kanye West, also seated courtside for a Saturday night in Miami.
Butler's absence didn't mean the game lacked drama or stakes for the Timberwolves, who were trying to rebound from a bad loss to the lottery-bound Magic on Friday and did so in a 113-104 win over the Heat.
The Wolves, who were without defensive stalwarts Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley, held Miami to just 37 second-half points. They led 106-104 with under a minute to play when the ball swung to Malik Beasley, who buried a corner 3-pointer to put the Wolves ahead for good. It capped a night of big swings in emotion and on the scoreboard. The Wolves went from up double digits to down 17 to the winners on the night.
Karl-Anthony Towns battled foul trouble again to score 15. Jaylen Nowell was their leading scorer with 16 off the bench while Anthony Edwards had 15. Tyler Herro had 30 for Miami.
At the start of the night, Towns came out on fire as he took advantage of an early matchup against P.J. Tucker. Towns hit his first three shots of the night, was 4 for 4 from the free-throw line in the first 5 minutes, 52 seconds for 11 points and the Wolves led by as many as 12. The only problem was Towns had to head to the bench at that moment because of foul trouble for the second consecutive night.
He picked up three fouls, two trying to tangle with Heat center Bam Adebayo (19 points) inside.
Towns, Edwards and Russell combined for 24 of the Wolves' 30 points in the first quarter.
Jaylen Nowell got going in the second quarter with 10 points but that didn't prevent Miami from gradually chipping at the Wolves' lead. Herro was the only Heat player making 3s initially, and that was enough to bring Miami back as Towns kept sitting. The Heat went on a 16-3 run halfway through the second quarter, and Towns checked in with 5 minutes, 30 seconds remaining to try and put a stop to it.
It didn't work. Towns then picked up a technical foul for arguing with officials. After that coach Chris Finch decided to sit Towns for the last 2:30 of the half as Miami increased its lead to 67-50. The Wolves took advantage of the break at halftime and came out with renewed purpose in the third quarter. It helped that Towns was on the floor. They cut the Miami lead to 70-66 with an 11-3 in the first 2:37 of the half. Towns would pick up his fourth foul, but he stayed in the game to play close to his usual allotment of third-quarter minutes.
As the Wolves rotated the bench back in, they kept within striking distance. Taurean Prince would then give them the lead on a buzzer-beating 3 following a Heat turnover. The Wolves tightened the screws defensively in the third and allowed just 19 points.
The game remained close through the fourth. Both teams went on a scoring drought of over two minutes with the game tied at 97. That eventually broke, and the Wolves took a small lead on timely buckets from Edwards and Jaden McDaniels. Beasley and their defense made sure they didn't go to waste.
