The Miami Heat secured a narrow road win against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday, snapping a three-game losing streak and providing a much-needed boost as they head into their NBA Cup opener against the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday night.
Both teams will be kicking off their NBA Cup group play, with the Heat and Pistons part of East Group B, which also includes the Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Toronto Raptors.
Nikola Jovic’s three-point play with 7.8 seconds left made the difference in a 95-94 victory over the Timberwolves. This win followed losses to Sacramento, Phoenix, and Denver. The Heat had trailed 88-80 with less than five minutes remaining.
Following a timeout, Duncan Robinson inbounded the ball to Jovic, who was moving off a back screen, leading to the decisive play.
Tyler Herro has been leading the offense recently, averaging 26.3 points over the last four games. The most notable aspect of Sunday’s game was the defensive effort, with Minnesota’s point total being the lowest allowed by Miami this season.
The Heat played without Jimmy Butler, who sprained his right ankle against the Nuggets, and he is likely to sit out Tuesday’s game as well.
The Pistons have had tight finishes in their last three games, most recently losing to the Houston Rockets 101-99 on Sunday. Tobias Harris had a chance to tie the game with two free throws with one second left, but missed the first, forcing him to intentionally miss the second in hopes of a rebound and tip-in.
Detroit allowed Houston to grab 17 offensive rebounds, including crucial putbacks late in the game.
Cade Cunningham’s streak of three consecutive triple-doubles ended, but he still finished with 26 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists.
The Pistons received some good news on Monday, as second-year forward Ausar Thompson was cleared to play after dealing with blood clot issues. However, he may find it challenging to break into the rotation that Bickerstaff has used through the first 11 games.
