wolves gameday
6:30 P.M. • at MIAMI • AMERICAN AIRLINES ARENA • FSN, 830-AM
Preview: The 55-22 Heat has won five consecutive games after beating Milwaukee 96-77 at home Wednesday. It hasn't lost since an 84-83 loss at Indiana on March 26. This is the third game of a five-game home stand during which the Heat has already beaten Toronto and the Bucks. … Its defense is holding opponents to 80 points a game on 39.9 percent shooting in the past five games. … The Heat won the season's first meeting between the teams, 103-82 at Target Center on Dec. 7. Miami has won the past seven games in the series, and a victory Friday would give them a season sweep for the fourth consecutive year.
Players to watch: Heat superstar LeBron James has scored in double figures in 566 consecutive games after he scored a mere 17 points Wednesday against Milwaukee. That's the fourth-longest such streak in NBA history.
Injuries: C Nikola Pekovic (ankle) is listed as questionable. He didn't play in Wednesday's 102-88 victory over Memphis and played less than seven minutes Monday against the Clippers. … Wade has missed the past four games because of a hamstring injury, and veteran G Ray Allen has missed the past five because of a stomach virus, but both practiced fully Thursday in Miami. Heat C Greg Oden is battling back spasms and has been inactive the past four games.
JERRY ZGODA
