MIAMI – As coach Chris Finch said, Malik Beasley usually has two passes to prepare himself before the ball gets to him.
Timberwolves overcome double-digit deficit, rally to stop Heat
The Wolves held Miami to only 37 second-half points and had eight players score in double figures, led by Jaylen Nowell's 16 points off the bench.
March 13, 2022 at 6:57AM
As Anthony Edwards drove late in the fourth quarter of what became a 113-104 Timberwolves victory, the Heat defense collapsed, and Beasley shot to the corner. You can see the ball was going to get to him eventually. Edwards passed to Taurean Prince, who swung the ball to the open Beasley.
The Wolves bench rose to its feet.
Moments before, Beasley had clanked the side of the backboard from the left corner, a metaphor for both his forgettable first half of the season and this Wolves season. While his shot consistency wavered — just as the Wolves can lose to the basement-dwelling Magic on Friday and the East-leading Heat the next day — his conviction and their team confidence never have. When Prince passed him the ball, Beasley was ready.
Or as Edwards put it: "Swing, swing, cheese."
Beasley buried the three from the right corner, giving the Wolves a 109-104 lead with 49.9 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
"Once he threw it to TP, I knew it was the perfect time for my shot," Beasley said.
Saturday's victory over the Heat, who played without villain Jimmy Butler (toe injury), came at a perfect time for the Wolves, who shook off one of their worst losses of the season in dramatic fashion. They were up 12 early, then Karl-Anthony Towns got in foul trouble. They fell behind as much as 17 in the second quarter only to refocus at halftime and give up only 37 points in the second half.
All this happened without injured defensive stalwarts Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt.
"The intensity was there, the effort was there from the beginning," Finch said. "Everybody gave us a lift. Defensively I thought we were outstanding all game long."
On offense, the Wolves spread the wealth in a way they haven't before, with eight players getting into double figures but no one topping the 16 Jaylen Nowell scored off the bench. Towns and Edwards had 15 apiece. Tyler Herro had 30 for Miami.
"When we not selfish, man, we're a hard team to beat," Edwards said. "I tell them that all the time. When we not selfish, bruh, can't nobody mess with us because we got every piece we need, I feel like."
Sometimes they just have to put the pieces back in the right order once in a while, like after Friday's loss.
"We [watched] film and it wasn't pretty," Beasley said.
Towns said Finch lit into the team Saturday morning after the Orlando loss.
"I like it. Finch is coaching, man," Towns said. "He's a hell of a coach, man. In my eyes, one of the best in the NBA right now. Love that man. That man's done so much for our team and I just think that the players responded to him and everyone's just playing really well."
That led to what Towns said were "real conversations."
"Screaming at each other because we both want to win so bad," Towns said. "Players want to win. Coaches want to win. And we're having a disagreement, but you could just see the competitiveness and fire between all of us about wanting to win. The way we responded was fabulous."
After his media session, Towns asked what the story might be had the Wolves been able to pull out Friday's game and gone on an eight-game win streak.
"Wherever the adversity is that's put in front of us, we find a way to win," Towns said.
He also told those in a dull news conference room to enjoy some drinks in Miami.
Perhaps it was a good night for some wine and cheese.
Both teams were returning from a break and showed it, but Jaden McDaniels' energy salvaged matters for Minnesota.
