Heat To Take On The Timberwolves
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MIAMI (AP) -- The Miami Heat's assist totals are down in back-to-back losses following a 3-0 start.
Assists could be hard to come by for the Minnesota Timberwolves if Ricky Rubio is out for any period of time.
The Timberwolves ended a seven-game slide against the Heat in their last visit to Miami but could be without Rubio in this one Saturday night.
Miami (3-2) averaged 25.0 assists during its perfect three-game start, but has seen that mark fall to an average of 17.5 in consecutive defeats since.
"We're trying to build a team game, where the ball's moving, quick decisions, everybody feels involved, guys are getting into their strengths, guys are helping each other get shots," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "We got away from a little bit the last two games, our assist numbers were down."
Spoelstra's counterpart, Minnesota's Flip Saunders, has bigger concerns after Rubio left Friday's 112-103 overtime loss at Orlando in the second quarter and did not return due to a sprained left ankle. Rubio did not miss a game in 2013-14.
"We're going to evaluate it tomorrow," Saunders said. "They took X-rays; there are no breaks, but he popped it pretty good so we're going to have to wait and see where it's at."
Rubio has 50 assists this season, and was fourth inthe league with 8.6 per game a season ago. Veteran Mo Williams figures to start if Rubio is out.
Rubio was a major factor with 13 points and 14 assists when Minnesota (2-3) ended its lengthy slide against Miami with a 122-121 road victory in double overtime April 4. The Timberwolves won when Corey Brewer made one of two free throws with 1.8 seconds left after he was fouled by Norris Cole on a call that Miami disputed.
That Heat team featured LeBron James, and Miami continues to adapt to life without him. Chris Bosh has been stellar in averaging 24.2 points with Dwyane Wade second at 18.6.
It has been a bit of an adjustment process for former All-Star forward Luol Deng, who is averaging 13.0 points for his lowest mark since he was a rookie in 2004-05.
"We do want him to be that third guy but we also got to understand that we all have got to help him be that third guy," Wade said. "It all works together. Chris Bosh is not the leading scorer on the team because Chris Bosh wants to be the leading scorer on the team, it's because everybody is working together to help him get the shots that he needs and the space that he needs and it's vice versa when it comes to me."
Miami outrebounded its first three foes before getting beaten on the glass by an average of 8.5 rebounds in Tuesday's 108-91 loss to Houston and Wednesday's 96-89 defeat at Charlotte.
Minnesota had a rebounding margin of plus-6.0 in its first four games as it gets accustomed to life without Kevin Love, but was outrebounded 52-38 on Friday. Kevin Martin scored 21 points and Brewer scored 16 off the bench.
Top overall pick Andrew Wiggins had six points, failing to reach double digits for the fourth time.
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