The Miami Heat (20-16) and Minnesota Timberwolves (23-13) will face off in the NBA tonight. Tipoff from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota is set for 8:00 p.m. ET. The game will broadcast live on NBC and Peacock.
The Timberwolves are 3.5-point favorites over the Heat on the spread (Timberwolves -3.5), with the over/under set at 237.5 total points. Minnesota is a -160 favorite to win outright on the moneyline, while Miami is +135 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Heat vs. Timberwolves predictions and NBA picks for Tuesday, January 6.
Heat vs Timberwolves Prediction, Picks
- Heat vs Timberwolves pick: Kel'el Ware Over 0.5 Assists (-115)
My Timberwolves vs. Heat best bet is on Kel'el Ware to record 1+ assists. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
Heat vs Timberwolves Odds for Tuesday, Jan. 6
| Heat Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+3.5 -110 | 237.5 -110o / -110u | +135 |
| Timberwolves Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-3.5 -110 | 237.5 -110o / -110u | -160 |
Miami Heat vs Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Preview
The Miami Heat have mostly gotten it together after losing 9-of-11 games, winning 4-of-5 heading into tonight, including a road win against a healthier Pistons team than what we saw against the Knicks last night.
The Minnesota Timberwolves have won 13-0f-18, including a win in Miami on Saturday, 125-115.
Given that we just saw these teams play, let's talk about that. Anthony Edwards had 33 points, leading both teams, mainly on an 11-for-14 display at the free-throw line.
Naz Reid notably killed the Heat for 29 on 15 shots off the bench. Reid is averaging 19.7 points per game over his last six against the Heat, with no performances under 13 and three of 20 or more.
Julius Randle, who has historically struggled against the Heat (and Bam Adebayo, in particular), had 23 and 10 and shot above 44 percent against Miami for the first time since 2023.
Possible All-Star Norman Powell paced the Heat with 21. Davion Mitchell had a strong 14 points and six assists. Adebayo and Kel'el Ware combined for 20 points and 17 rebounds on 20 shots, and both went 1-for-3 from deep.
Minnesota won despite just shooting 29 percent from deep (11-of-38) to the Heat's 38 percent (14-of-37), but they also shot 74.4 percent (35-of-47) from two to the Heat's 54 percent (27-of-50).
Minnesota also forced 19 Heat turnovers in the game, 11 of which came from Mitchell (4), Adebayo (4) and Nikola Jovic (3).
Terry Rozier (FBI) is the only Heat player definitely out. Tyler Herro (toe) is questionable. He was upgraded to available in the last game but wasn't expected to play, and he didn't. He's considered day-to-day, according to Erik Spoelstra, expect his status to be updated prior to tip-off.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. (ankle) has been upgraded on Tuesday morning after missing the Pelicans game on Saturday. Jovic (groin) and Keshad Johnson (back spasms) are probable.
Terrence Shannon Jr. (foot) is the only absence for Minnesota, as of now.
Heat vs Timberwolves Betting Predictions, Analysis
I'll trust our data on this one.
This game presents a bunch of tough lines, but we have projected an edge on Kel'el Ware assists at 1.5 for the game. We just need one.
Ware has an assist in two straight games, including against the T-Wolves a few days ago.
Ware is over this in 6-of-15, but he's over this in 14-of-26 games as a starter.
Heat vs Timberwolves Best Bet
- Kel'el Ware Over 0.5 Assists (-115)
Timberwolves vs Heat Betting Trends
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