Published on: Mar 12, 2022 11:10 pm IST|Updated on: Mar 13, 2022 3:20 am IST
MIA vs MIN Dream11: NBA has been plugging towards the Playoffs and as the postseason approaches, we are sure to see a lot of teams pick their game. This is one of the reasons why the number of upsets has increased lately. In the Western Conference, the Suns have built a big distance against others and have made sure with their 10+ game-winning streaks, they can stay afloat even without Chris Paul. And if we talk about the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat has been at the top and has done a great job in terms of beating elite teams and keeping their campaign rolling. And who will they face here? The Minnesota Timberwolves, are a team that has shown immense improvements.
The Heat has been doing a great job of finding different combinations, trying out different line-ups and their depth helped them big-time when Adebayo and Butler were absent till midseason. Unlike last season, the team didn’t lose a step without Butler and this means that coach Erik Spoelstra has reinforced some brilliant principles too.
On the other hand, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been one of the most improved teams this season and after a strong home stretch recently, the team has made a lot of noise and is inching closer towards the Nuggets, a team that is in the sixth spot. However, defense and the inability to win away from home remain two big weaknesses.
Host: Miami Heat Visitors: Minnesota Timberwolves Match Timing: 13 March, @ 06:30 AM Venue: FTX Arena
Heat: Team make-up is brilliant Bam Adebayo is top ten when it comes to defensive win shares and that is why when he has been active, the Heat has had a highly intimidating defensive unit. Meanwhile, Jimmy Butler is top-25 in terms of defensive win shares, and despite consistently being injured, he has been suffocating the opposition’s offense. Now they have been also doing the same things in the past season? Then what changed? The team acquired Kyle Lowry in the offseason and he is even higher than Jimmy in terms of defensive win shares. And when you add PJ Tucker as a physical presence in the big Forward position, of course the results will follow. Remember it was the lineup of Lowry, Robinson, Herro, Adebayo, Tucker, Yurtseven, Dedmon, Vincent, and Strus, that propelled them to a terrific record.
Apart from that, Tyler Herro has increased his points range by 5-8 points and has consistently dipped 20+ points a game. On the other hand, Adebayo clasps 10+ rebounds consistently seal the middle, and of course, plays high-quality defense. Butler is essential to the team’s success from here on because we see the best of him during the Playoffs and he needs to remain healthier for the team because I don’t see Heat winning four games against a formidable East squad if Butler is out, especially in the second round. Robinson has been up-and-down in his production but is a huge factor. Vincent, Strus, Martin, and Dedmon round off a brilliant bench.
Timberwolves: Plugged-in, switched, but long road ahead The Timberwolves have increased their winning percentage from below 33% to 55%, which has been a huge improvement. This clearly indicates that the team has done a great job in terms of becoming a Playoffs one. The Timberwolves are seated at the seventh spot right now, just a spot below the surging Nuggets. They have two fewer wins and three more losses than the Nuggets and this means they have a lot of catching up to do. However, as things stand, they are highly likely to seal the seventh spot at least because the Clippers that are below them have three fewer wins and four more losses, so yes, even if they win around 50% of the games from here, they will need to win just singular game during the Play-in tournament to speed ahead.
What makes this team special is the offensive combinations and a more productive bench over the season. Anthony-Towns leads the team in scoring and rebounding and his ability to score from inside and shoot from outside make him a great option. Anthony Edwards’ ability to contort his body to finish his inside attracts multiple defenders while his shooting has been highly improved. D’Angelo Russell has been a brilliant shooter and playmaker, whose absence has hurt the team more often than not. On the other hand, bench players Beasley, McDaniels, and Nowell have responded to the call, and Beasley and McDaniels have especially been scoring around 15 points or so regularly. Patrick Beverley has been sharing ball-handling duties with Russell and he has been decent overall. So, how will they utilize their players from here on? Miami Heat | Minnesota Timberwolves Games: 68 | 68 Wins: 45 | 38 Defeats: 23 | 30
Miami Heat Team News
Heat Expected Starting Five Forward: PF: PJ Tucker Middle: C: Bam Adebayo Guards: SG: Duncan Robinson | PG: Gabe Vincent | PG: Kyle Lowry
BENCH: Max Strus, Tyler Herro, DeWayne Dedmon, Udonis Haslem, Omer Yurtseven, Marcus Garrett, Kyle Guy.
Minnesota Timberwolves Teams News:
Timberwolves Expected Starting Five Wing: SF: Anthony Edwards Middle: PF: Jarred Vanderbilt | C: Karl Anthony-Towns Guards: PG: D’Angelo Russell | PG: Patrick Beverley
BENCH: Jaden McDaniels, Malik Beasley, Naz Reid, Taurean Prince, Jordan McLaughlin, Josh Okogie, Jaylen Nowell, Nathan Knight, Jake Layman.
Bam Adebayo(MIA) Points: 30 Rebounds: 17 Assists: 01 Steals: 03 Blocks: 01 Bam is one of the most physical bigs in the league and can wreak havoc on both ends of the floor. The Center has mostly been in the 17-21 points, 10-11 rebounds, and 1-3 steals range this season. The Center can be chosen as a Star/Pro Player in the Dream 11 NBA Fantasy scenario. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 37-54
Karl Anthony-Towns(MIN) Points: 21 Rebounds: 13 Assists: 04 Steals: 02 Blocks: 02 Karl Anthony-Towns continues to have a huge impact on the proceedings and his ability to score from multiple areas, clamp rebounds, and play serviceable defense has been huge. The Center has mostly been in 20-28 points, 9-13 rebounds, and 1-2 blocks/steals range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 35-47
Jimmy Butler(MIA) Points: 24 Rebounds: 04 Assists: 05 Steals: 03 Blocks: 01 Butler is one of the best two-way wings in the league and has continued to be a huge factor for the team in more ways than one can count. Butler has mostly been in 21-24 points, 4-7 rebounds, 4-5 assists, 1-4 steals range lately. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 36-47
Tyler Herro(MIA) Points: 22 Rebounds: 01 Assists: 02 Steals: 01 Tyler has continued to be a huge factor and he can start for most of the teams with his ability to stitch together quality offensive possessions. The Guard has mostly been in the 20-27 points range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 25-35
Anthony Edwards(MIN) Points: 25 Rebounds: 03 Assists: 05 Steals: 01 Wing Edwards is one of the best finishers at the rim and keeps on expanding his offensive game as a second-year player. The SF has scored 16 or more thrice in a row while being in 3-7 assists range. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 23-36
D’Angelo Russell(MIN) Points: 13 Rebounds: 02 Assists: 07 Lefty sharpshooter Russell has made significant contributions on the offense and has been surely one of the key components for Timberwolves’ successful season so far. The Guard has mostly been in 17-22 points and 6-9 assists range this season. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 24-34
Kyle Lowry(MIA) Points: 03 Rebounds: 04 Assists: 10 Blocks: 01 Lowry has been rather conservative with his shooting lately but performs an incredible job as the hustle guard and playmaker. The Guard has mostly been in 5-10 assists range but I believe he will soon be in 11-16 points range too. Expected Fantasy Points Range: 16-26
MIA vs MIN Dream11 Team
PG: D Russell SG: M Beasley, T Herro SF: J McDaniels, M Strus PF: P Tucker C: K Towns(SP), B Adebayo(PP)
Isn’t it fun to watch Adebayo being a force in the middle and how about when he goes up against Anthony-Towns who is an offensive dynamo? Not in the best piece of news for the India-based NBA fans, this game is unavailable on the two designated streaming platforms in the form of Voot and JIO TV. Therefore, what option do you have? Just plug yourself into the NBA League Pass. If you purchase the annual subscription, you need not sweat about the Indian platforms to showcase select games and can catch up on the available gams. To learn the scores, news, and stats, go to the official website of the NBA.