Game 5 is going to be fun.
Dirk Nowitzki says he is healthy. LeBron James says he is going to play like LeBron James. Tyson Chandler will be a force, as will Dwyane Wade.
We’ll have a preview for you later on today, but for now, listen to the players and coaches talk about Game 5, just to get you a little pumped up.
This video is no longer available. Click here to watch more NBC Sports videos!MIAMI — Jordan McLaughlin’s layup with just under nine seconds left put Minnesota ahead for good, D’Angelo Russell led all scorers with 27 points and the Timberwolves added to Miami’s late-season stagger by beating the Heat 129-126 on Wednesday night.
Malik Beasley scored 21 points, Juancho Hernangomez tied a season-high with 17 and McLaughlin added 13 for Minnesota. The Timberwolves were down by 12 with 3:59 left, then closed on a 20-5 run to get just their second victory in 20 games.
Jimmy Butler’s two free throws with 13.8 seconds left put Miami up 126-125, but McLaughlin’s layup on the next Minnesota possession put the Timberwolves on top to stay. Butler’s layup with 3.2 seconds left got blocked by Russell, and the Wolves held on.
Minnesota snapped a nine-game road losing streak, getting its first road victory since beat the Cleveland Cavaliers on Jan. 5.
Kendrick Nunn led Miami with 24 points. Bam Adebayo had 22 points and 10 rebounds and Butler — back after a two-game absence for personal reasons — had 18 for Miami. The Heat fell to 23-4 at home and have dropped seven of their last nine overall.
The Heat stayed a half-game ahead of Philadelphia in the race for the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Philadelphia lost in Cleveland earlier Wednesday, a game where 76ers star Joel Embiid departed early because of a shoulder injury.
The Heat have had major trouble closing games of late — a 22-point lead late in the third quarter against Cleveland on Monday was frittered away in what probably was the worst loss of the season, until now anyway — and a long film session and meeting on Tuesday clearly didn’t solve the issue.
They were up 121-109 with 3:59 left, and 123-112 after a layup by Butler 24 seconds later.
And Minnesota — a team that came into the night with one win in a span of 48 days — still wasn’t finished off. The Timberwolves scored the next 11 points to tie the game, getting five of those points from Beasley and a tying free throw from McLaughlin with 46 seconds left.
TIP-INS
Timberwolves: Minnesota’s 27 attempts from 3-point range in the first two quarters was a first-half franchise record. … The Wolves are 4-0 in road games against Southeast Division teams this season, and 6-19 in all other road contests.
Heat: Adebayo played through a sprained right ankle, pushing his consecutive-game streak to 144 — extending the fourth-longest such streak in team history. … Goran Dragic’s first basket was a 3-pointer, and that pushed him one point past Grant Long (5,473) for 10th on the Heat career scoring list. … Nunn got his third consecutive rookie of the month trophy in a brief halftime ceremony.
JOHNSON RETURNS
Wednesday marked James Johnson’s first game back in Miami since the trade that sent him to Minnesota earlier this month, a move that sent Andre Iguodala, Jae Crowder and Solomon Hill to Miami from Memphis. “I think Minnesota is seeing what kind of versatility he can bring to the game,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said.
LOOKING AHEAD
A large contingent of fans from Slovenia were in attendance Wednesday — and more are coming Friday, when the Heat play host to the Dallas Mavericks. At last season’s Dallas-at-Miami game, more than 2,000 Slovenians were in attendance to watch their nation’s two best NBA players, Dragic and Dallas star Luka Doncic, go head-to-head.
UP NEXT
Timberwolves: At Orlando on Friday night.
Heat: Host Dallas on Friday night.
Trae Young might be the NBA’s worst defender.
He’s small (6-foot-1 with a 6-foot-3 wingspan). His athleticism is far from imposing. He also carries a massive load for the Hawks offensively, leaving little energy for defense.
But he still blocked 7-foot Magic center Mo Bamba at the rim.
Not a great moment for Bamba.
The debate has gained attention this season after the 76ers spent years retooling around their stars. The answer clearly isn’t neither. But that’s what Philadelphia now faces.
With Simmons already injured, Embiid got hurt in the 76ers’ game against the Cavaliers tonight.
Serena Winters of NBC Sports Philadelphia:
After what appeared to be a left shoulder collision with Ante Zizic, Joel Embiid has headed back to the locker room to get checked out.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) February 27, 2020
Joel Embiid did return to the bench briefly, but has since gone back to the lockerroom. Will update as soon as I know more. #Sixers https://t.co/zSZb7dhzOs
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) February 27, 2020
Joel Embiid has a left shoulder sprain and will not return.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) February 27, 2020
Losing Embiid for an extended period would be a huge blow to Philadelphia, especially with Simmons already out. The 76ers (fifth place, half a game out of fourth) are right on the edge of getting home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Embiid had been playing so well lately. This is an especially tough time for a setback.
At least Philadelphia has depth to cope. Al Horford can easily slide from power forward to center. Tobias Harris might be better off at power forward than small forward, anyway. This is where Glenn Robinson III and Alec Burks, acquired just before the trade deadline, come in handy as additional wing options. Kyle O'Quinn can also play behind Horford.
But the loss of talent is the biggest development, and there’s no overcoming that until Embiid and Simmons get healthy.
During the Bulls’ loss to the Thunder yesterday, Zach LaVine appeared to say, “I have f—ing 40 points!”
Many assumed LaVine was snapping at Chicago coach Jim Boylen. But LaVine clarified his target was Oklahoma City guard Dennis Schroder.
Eric Woodyard of ESPN:
In regards to last night's viral video, Zach LaVine just confirmed to me that he wasn't talking to Bulls coach Jim Boylen. He was talking trash with OKC's Dennis Schroder. "Between players when you guys are talking, you talk smack sometimes right? And that's all it was." https://t.co/8EJyAyZAnh
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 26, 2020
LaVine: "We were still down. Dude was talking a little mess to me and I just let him know 'Look, I've got 40, I don't know why you're talking to me. I don't know why they said they thought I was talking to Jim but it was just people being competitive in the game talking."
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 26, 2020
LaVine continued: "I've got to do a better job. The cameras have been following me lately so people are going to make their own assumptions on what's going on between me and Jim or me and the team but our relationship is fine. I'm a competitive and fiery guy on the court."
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 26, 2020
I take LaVine at his word.
Want to make a case LaVine dislikes Boylen? You’ll just have to point to all the other evidence.