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Heat-Timberwolves Preview

Apr 3, 2010 - 5:17 AM By KATE HEDLIN STATS Writer

Miami (41-34) at Minnesota (15-60), 8:00 p.m. EDT

Dwyane Wade was injured when Miami lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves less than two months ago. He can help the Heat clinch a playoff spot in the rematch.

Coming off one of his best performances of the season, Wade looks to resume his domination of the Timberwolves and Miami looks to stretch its longest winning streak of the season to eight games Saturday night at the Target Center.

Wade was sidelined with a strained left calf when Miami lost 91-88 to Minnesota on Feb. 23. The Heat scored only 15 points in the first quarter, and clearly missed the All-Star MVP, who averaged 31.6 points in his previous five games against the Timberwolves.

Wade has been putting up similar numbers recently during a favorable late-season stretch in Miami's schedule. He scored 43 points in a 105-96 overtime win over Indiana on Friday - one point shy of matching his season high, set against Boston on Jan. 6.

Wade, who had eight points in the extra period, went 14 of 22 from the field while the rest of his teammates shot 38.7 percent.

"We never got a great offensive flow, and he sensed that," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "He has a gift to attack and score."

Wade has scored 30 or more points in three of his last four games - all against teams below the Heat in the standings. He has shot better than 60 percent in those three contests.

A solid defense has also helped spur the Heat's seven-game run. Miami (42-34) has allowed 82.7 points per game during the streak - its longest since taking nine straight from Feb. 28-March 16, 2007.

With a 5 1/2-game lead over ninth-place Chicago and six games remaining, the Heat can clinch a playoff spot for the sixth time in seven years with a win or a Bulls loss to Charlotte on Saturday. Chicago has seven games left, but Miami owns the tiebreaker.

The Heat, however, won't be satisfied with just making the playoffs. Friday's victory moved them a half-game ahead of Milwaukee for fifth in the Eastern Conference. They have a very good chance at maintaining their hold on that spot as they won't face a team with a winning record during their final six games.

They'll also be looking for some revenge against the Timberwolves (15-60), who lost 16 straight after their win over Miami. That slide was halted with a 108-99 win over Sacramento on Thursday.

Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer each scored 19 points to lead six players in double figures. Minnesota shot 56.1 percent and took advantage of its first game against an opponent with a losing record since March 14 also against the Kings.

"You go through a stretch like that, if you're not happy to get off that slide, I don't know what's wrong with you," said rookie Jonny Flynn, who scored 18 points. "We want to keep this going, finish it strong, finish this year out."

Minnesota needs one more win to guarantee it won't match the franchise's worst season, set in 1991-92. The Timberwolves went 19-63 the next season and haven't finished with fewer than 20 wins in any campaign since.