Heat hold off Wolves for 11th win a row
MINNEAPOLIS -- Goran Dragic scored 33 points, including a career-high seven 3-pointers, and Hassan Whiteside had 19 points and 13 rebounds as the Miami Heat beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 115-113 on Monday to extend their winning streak to 11 games.
Dragic made his first seven 3-point attempts and shot 13 of 17 from the field for the game. He added nine assists for Miami, which has the longest current winning streak in the NBA and is one behind the season-high, 12-game streak by the Golden State Warriors.
Rodney McGruder added 15 points for Miami (22-30), which held on despite Minnesota closing within a basket several times in the fourth quarter.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 35 points for Minnesota (19-33). Andrew Wiggins had 27, and Ricky Rubio contributed 14 points and 13 assists for the Timberwolves, who lost their fourth game in a row.
A strong third quarter by Minnesota set up an intriguing finish, but the Timberwolves never led in the game. Back-to-back baskets by Rubio to start the fourth brought Minnesota within one. Each time, the Heat answered.
With 22 seconds remaining, Wiggins stole the ball and drove for a layup. He added a free throw for a three-point play to close the gap to 114-113. Wiggins got another steal but missed a jumper with 10 seconds left.
Whiteside went to the free-throw line and made 1 of 2 to set up the Timberwolves' final possession. Wiggins' jumper at the buzzer went off the rim as Miami held on.
The Heat's budding confidence from their streak showed early with a 40-point first quarter. Dragic had 11 points and four assists in the quarter, and Whiteside added nine points and five rebounds. Miami shot 69.6 percent in the first and was 6 of 8 from 3-point range.
Dragic scored 21 in the first half by going 8 of 9 from the floor and 5 of 5 from beyond the arc. He was just one of the hot shooters as Miami shot 60.9 percent in the opening half, including 11 of 14 from beyond the 3-point arc in building a 14-point lead.
Wiggins hit Minnesota's first three shots of the third quarter as the Wolves closed within five points with an 11-2 run. The Heat regained a 10-point advantage, but Wiggins had 13 points in the quarter as Minnesota sliced the deficit to five to end the third.
NOTES: Miami re-signed F Okaro White on Monday and waived F Derrick Williams. White is averaging 4.0 points and 2.4 rebounds in 10 games with the Heat this season after finishing with three points and one board against the Wolves. ... Minnesota rookie PG Kris Dunn was active but missed his third straight game with a hand injury. ... Miami continued to be without Fs Justise Winslow, Josh McRoberts and Chris Bosh. The Heat have now had 211 games missed this season due to injury or illness, the most in the NBA. ... The Timberwolves continue a season-high, six-game homestand on Wednesday against Toronto. The Heat's four-game road trip makes its way to Milwaukee for a contest on Wednesday.