Timberwolves stumble at home, fall 95-94 to Jimmy Butler-less Miami Heat

Over the course of an NBA season, not all losses are created equal.

Teams tend to take most losses in stride, but anyone around the team could tell the Timberwolves’ 95-94 loss to the Miami Heat on Sunday was the kind that hit hard. That was evident from the way the team handled the aftermath.

Coach Chris Finch, who usually takes around 10 minutes, give or take, before addressing the media, hurried into the team’s news conference room before most reporters could get there. Once he did, Finch offered more than one mea culpa for a string of decisions he made that contributed to the Wolves’ loss, specifically on the last two possessions of the game.

“I didn’t get it right,” Finch said. “Tonight, coming down the stretch, I didn’t get it right. I told you guys that we weren’t always going to get it right, but yeah, if I had to go back and do it over, I’d certainly do it differently.”

Anthony Edwards then declined to speak with reporters after the media requested he do so (players are subject to league fines if they consistently do not speak to the media when requested). But before he left, he complained loud enough for reporters to hear in the locker room about the Heat’s shapeshifting zone defense.

That contributed to his 8-for-24 night (22 points) that also included six turnovers. The Wolves committed 20 overall, but they still were in position to beat the Jimmy Butler-less Heat, who committed 23 turnovers of their own.

The game unraveled for the Wolves in the final nine seconds, after Jaden McDaniels had a flying putback of a Mike Conley miss to give the Wolves a 94-92 lead. Miami, in a crucial move, successfully challenged a foul that was called on Haywood Highsmith on the bucket.

BOXSCORE: Miami 95, Timberwolves 94

NBA standings

The trouble for the Wolves began with a late substitution before the Heat inbounded. Finch subbed out Rudy Gobert in a defensive-friendly lineup and subbed back in Conley, who only guarded the inbounder on the play.

“I’m pretty good on that end of the floor, and I live for those moments,” Gobert said. “It’s what I do best. I was frustrated for sure, but decisions. Coach made decisions, and we’re living with that.”

The Heat ran a series of screens between the three-point line and halfcourt, and both Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker said it is their strategy in that situation not to switch on screens before the ball is inbounded.

But on the replay, it appears Edwards got caught on a screen, and Alexander-Walker had to switch onto Nikola Jović, who had a step on him. Jović raced to the hoop and got the layup plus a foul on Alexander-Walker.

“I was a little hesitant to just go,” Alexander-Walker said. “I think at that point, with the clock situation and everything, all bets are off, I guess, and you just have to take it. When I read it late, at that point I probably should’ve just wrapped him up, but I tried to make a play for it.”

Alexander-Walker hardly has any reason to hang his head. He had 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting, and it was his defensive energy forcing missed shots and turnovers that enabled the Wolves to build their lead to as much as eight in the second half. In fact, it was a surprise when Finch opted to sub Conley back in for Alexander-Walker with 2 minutes, 34 seconds to play. Finch has closed games this season with Alexander-Walker over Conley.

“I probably should’ve stuck with Nickeil, he was playing really well,” Finch said.

Then he added: “We’ve won a lot of games with Mike Conley down the stretch, so that’s why I went back with him.”

With 7.8 seconds left, the Wolves had the ball back with a chance to win. The Heat had a foul to give, and Tyler Herro (a game-high 26 points, but eight turnovers) fouled Conley with 3.7 seconds left. With the Wolves out of timeouts, they appeared confused over who would inbound the ball. It ended up being Edwards, who seemingly took himself out of the play with so little time left. Finch said they were trying to get a flare screen set up for Edwards.

“I wanted to run one thing, and then I wanted to flip it back. But yeah, that’s on me,” Finch said. “End of the game, I’ve got to be clearer about what we’re trying to do on both sides of the ball and get us some help there.”

The Wolves have some new personnel, and Finch has more options this season to adjust his closing rotations than he had in years past. But the process of figuring it out cost the Wolves a game Sunday, one that may loom large in what likely will be a crowded Western Conference.

“It’ll just take time,” Conley said. “We’re in a spot where we’re learning a lot as we go kind of on the fly. And we’ll be better.”