Heat at Timberwolves
The Miami Heat look to continue their recent dominance over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center when the two teams meet Wednesday. The Heat have beaten the Timberwolves in six straight road matchups and haven't lost in Minneapolis since Jan. 28, 2008. Miami is coming off a 108-91 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday to see its lead shrink to two games over the Pistons and Brooklyn Nets in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The return of Ricky Rubio wasn't enough to get Minnesota back on the winning track as it fell to Dallas 100-94 on Monday. The Timberwolves have dropped three in a row and eight of their last nine overall as they hold out hope that Rubio — who missed the previous 42 games with an ankle injury — can be the catalyst to turn the struggling team's fortunes around. "I was dying inside watching the team and I couldn't be able to play and help them win," Rubio told reporters. "I feel in shape; I feel great."
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Sun Sports (Miami), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE HEAT (21-27): Chris Bosh went 9-of-9 from the floor en route to 21 points in the third quarter before finishing with 34 in the loss to the Pistons. Luol Deng added 10 points, five rebounds and three assists after missing the previous three games with a calf injury. Rising star Hassan Whiteside, who had 11 points and 10 rebounds in the loss for his fourth double-double in five games, is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2016 as Miami cannot extend his contract under the NBA's current collective bargaining agreement because his current deal is less than three years in length.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (8-40): Kevin Martin, who also recently returned from injury, scored a team-high 19 points while Rubio added 10 points and four assists in 21 minutes in the loss to the Mavericks. Mo Williams contributed 15 points and five assists versus Dallas after missing the previous three games with a hip pointer. Zach LaVine has sat out the last two games with a sprained ankle but likely will return to the lineup to face Miami on Wednesday, while Shabazz Muhammad — who has missed the last 13 contests with an oblique strain — could be back by the weekend.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Heat have won eight of the last nine meetings with the Timberwolves.
2. Miami is 7-12 versus Western Conference opponents.
3. Minnesota owns the worst home record in the NBA at 4-19.