The Minnesota Timberwolves hosted a depleted Miami Heat in their home-opener on Saturday night. The Wolves got a collection of strong performances throughout their lineup on Saturday night in a 106-90 victory, a game in which Minnesota led by as many as 23 points.

Naz Reid leads the way for Timberwolves

Saturday night was Naz Reid’s night. Reid came off the bench and finished the game with a game-high 25 points in only 28 minutes.

Reid’s shooting, specifically, was stellar. Featured in several Horns actions, Reid found himself in open space frequently as both a shooter and as a driver of the basketball. Reid shot 10-of-14 from the field, which included a 4-of-7 effort from behind the 3-point line.

Chris Finch endorsed his performance post-game by saying, “Obviously he does a lot of spectacular things… He’s got a lot of confidence. It’s fun to watch him play for sure.”

Reid also posted eight rebounds and impacted the game defensively while ending the game with a +30 plus-minus. The crowd certainly loved Reid’s performance as the classic “Naz Reid!” chants returned to Target Center during the home-opener this season.

Rudy Gobert regaining formRudy Gobert dunking a basketball with fire in his eyes

For consecutive games to start the season, the Timberwolves have held their opponent to less than 100 points. The century mark has become not only common, but an expectation for solid NBA offenses in today’s age. The Timberwolves, anchored by Rudy Gobert, are trying to change that. The Heat were held to just 90 points and Gobert’s activity level defensively was a huge reason why.

When asked about Gobert’s return to form this year, Finch said, “He looks great, he’s moving great. He’s logged a lot of reps in practice, too, which I think has helped him a lot.  He’s playing at a high level for us right now.”

Gobert is certainly playing at a high-level. He poured in another one of his patented double-doubles with 14 points and 14 rebounds Saturday night. While Gobert did not record a block, he did force a lot of tough shot attempts and was a massive reason the Heat only shot 40.2% from the field.

What’s next for Timberwolves?

The Wolves will have a great opportunity to continue their stellar defensive play as they take on the Atlanta Hawks who will be on the second night of a back-to-back. The Hawks have struggled a bit out the gate so the Wolves will certainly hope to take advantage of their early-season meeting.