Timberwolves' Naz Reid was the hero of an Opening Night ridden with let downs

The NBA made a boastful announcement in mid-September that basically stated there was too much resting of prominent players in the regular season and the league was not going to take it anymore.

The Miami Heat came to Target Center on Saturday for their third game of the season and also the Timberwolves' home opener.

Jimmy Butler, the Heat star that presumably the Opening Night customers were most interested in watching, was not active for the game.

There was a clear reason for this: He didn't want to be.

And under Commissioner Adam Silver's strict new anti-rest regulations, that apparently was OK, based on this being a back-to-back game and Butler having played in Friday night's nationally televised loss in Boston.

I mean, Jimmy turned 34 in September, which apparently is now also his limit for minutes within a 36-hour period since he played 34 against Boston, creating this Heat program roster notice:

Out — Jimmy Butler (rest).

This was the second consecutive home game and fourth overall that Butler has missed vs. the Timberwolves, which is strange considering Jimmy's obvious competitive fire and the badmouthing he aimed at his former teammates on that zany day five years ago.

Yes, Karl-Anthony Towns is the lone remaining Wolves player from that practice and then-public tirade, but KAT was also a primary target for Butler's insults.

You would expect Jimmy was just the guy who would enjoy hearing the Target Center boos and putting a whuppin' on Towns and the Wolves early in the season.

Nope.

"Rest" — and what are you going to do about it, Adam Silver?

Kali Garman, a second-grade teacher, and her friend Elliot Berkland made the 3 ½-hour drive from Cedar Falls, Iowa. They arrived early and were showing Heat support, including Garman with a No. 22 jersey in honor of Butler.

How did you take the news that Jimmy wasn't playing?

Garman flashed a pout and said: "I have 17 boys in my class of 22 and they all love Jimmy. We've watched videos in class. We've talked about Jimmy's story, growing up in a tough circumstance.

"The boys were so excited when I told them that I would be going to be here to see Jimmy on Saturday night. So, it's a big disappointment to have him not playing.''

So, you're the Jimmy fan, Miss Garman?

"He's a favorite player of mine, too," Berkland said. "I admire how hard he plays. He has guts."

But not tonight. "Right," he said. "Not tonight."

Missing Jimmy didn't ruin the Heat's chances Saturday until the ferocity of Naz Reid took over the game early in the fourth quarter and the blowout was on:

Timberwolves 106, Heat 90.

This Naz phenomenon was on display even before tipoff. The Wolves' entire roster was announced before the game, and the true roar from the crowd was when Reid was announced.

Yes, even louder than when Anthony Edwards got the buildup with the starters, and what followed didn't change that show of appreciation.

The Ant Man's subpar effort helped keep Miami in the game. Reid the Relentless then dominated to give the Wolves a 91-79 lead with 6 ½ minutes left.

At which time Miami packed it in and Edwards had a late surge of jumpers.

Reid went 10-for-14 from the field (including 4-for-7 on three-pointers), with 25 points, eight rebounds and two steals in 28 ½ minutes. Edwards was 4-for-11 at halftime before the late streak gave him 19 points.

Not to overly criticize Ant — just to point out the customers (announced at a sellout of 18,024) had good reason to make Reid their hero.

There was a touch of viewing Saturday that was actually disconcerting:

There has been suggestion this could be the Wolves' deepest team. We are 2.4% into the schedule and Jaden McDaniels has yet to return, but that could be a highly erroneous theory.

The exchange of Tony Brown Jr. for Taurean Prince (for salary-cap reasons) as a forward off the bench looked far-fetched.

And the idea Shake Milton could become the primary backup for 36-year-old Mike Conley at point guard … not if the chaos Shake created Saturday serves as an example.

The Reid Effect — a plus-30 when on the floor — took care of those issues on Opening Night, so one more big roar:

Naz!