For most of the first half in Miami, every Minnesota push drew an answer, with seven lead changes and seven ties. The Wolves then took control late in the second quarter, and Anthony Edwards finished with 45 points in a 131-106 win over Erik Spoelstra's Heat.
Two Minutes Before the Break
The Heat led by as many as four. Minnesota answered with two 8-0 runs, one from 17-17 to 25-17 in the first quarter and another from 47-50 to 55-50 in the second. Chris Finch called timeout at 55-54 with 3:38 left in the half, and his defense took over from there. Jonathan Kuminga blocked a shot at 2:42 and then hit a three off an Edwards pass for 60-54. Ayo Dosunmu converted a floater and a free throw for 63-56. On the next two Miami trips, Giannis Antetokounmpo threw a bad pass that Jaden McDaniels stole and then committed another turnover. Minnesota led by single digits late in the second quarter and won by 25.
Grading the Wolves
Edwards gets an A. He had 19 points on 8-of-14 shooting in his first 17 minutes and finished with 45 points and 10 rebounds, well above the 28.8 points he averaged last season. McDaniels gets an A-minus: by late in the second quarter he had 13 points on 6-of-7 shooting, three steals and a plus-8 in 15 minutes. Kuminga earns a B-plus for work that won't show in his scoring. He had five points, three assists, two steals, a block, no turnovers and a plus-9 in 17 minutes. Rudy Gobert did not score, but he was plus-6 with five rebounds in 13 minutes. LaMelo Ball went 4-of-7 from deep. The weakest numbers came off the bench: Trey Lyles was minus-5 in nine minutes and Dosunmu was minus-3 in 12, despite his and-one. By that point the starters had outscored the bench 49-7. Antetokounmpo went 8-of-9 early and finished with 35 points, and The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski noted midgame that he was taking on the Wolves almost single-handedly.
Orlando Comes Quickly
The record still reads 0-0, and Friday's game at Orlando is listed as the regular-season opener. The Wolves get two days off before it, the second of two straight road games. A busy stretch follows: Toronto at Target Center on Sunday, Cleveland on the road Monday, then Golden State at home Wednesday. Donte DiVincenzo remains out with his right Achilles and is projected back April 2, 2027. Rocco Zikarsky was cleared on October 20. The bench depth question isn't settled, but Edwards, McDaniels and Kuminga showed the defense can still decide a close half.
Who won Timberwolves vs. Heat on October 21, 2026?
The Timberwolves won 131-106 in Miami. They took control late in the second quarter and pulled away after halftime.
How many points did Anthony Edwards score against the Heat?
Edwards scored 45 points with 10 rebounds and three assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo led Miami with 35.
