Heat vs Timberwolves: The Heat Added a Big, the Wolves Added a Guard. Wednesday Tests Both

Heat vs Timberwolves: Giannis and LaMelo Ball Make Their Debuts

Giannis Antetokounmpo prepares for a new chapter with the Miami Heat.

The Heat vs Timberwolves matchup puts both rebuilt to the test. On Wednesday, 21 October, Minnesota visits Miami at 7:30 pm ET (5:00 am Thursday in India) for Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Heat debut and LaMelo Ball’s first game for the Timberwolves. At 10 pm ET (7:30 am IST), Golden State visits the Lakers, with Stephen Curry facing Luka Dončić, the league’s top scorer last season. Both games are on ESPN. No player appears in both games, and a Giannis-Dončić or Edwards-Curry matcup is not part of Wednesday’s schedule.

How Miami and Minnesota Rebuilt Their Rosters

Miami and Minnesota built in opposite directions. Giannis arrived from Milwaukee in a trade completed on 6 July, with Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis and picks going the other way. He joins Bam Adebayo, which gives Miami two frontcourt stars and fewer guards. Minnesota added a guard. Ball and Josh Green came from Charlotte for Naz Reid and a stack of picks, pairing Ball with Anthony Edwards, who averaged a career-high 28.8 points last season. Both were top-three picks in 2020.

LaMelo Ball joins Minnesota as the Timberwolves reshape their backcourt.

Each side has a question. Miami has to find enough shooting around two frontcourt stars. Minnesota has to find depth and rebounding behind Rudy Gobert now that Reid is gone.

The preseason offered no answers. When the teams met on 10 October, Giannis, Adebayo, Edwards and Ball all rested. Adebayo has since missed Miami’s last two preseason games with groin tightness and will miss the finale. Coach Erik Spoelstra said he was not overly concerned before those absences, and no diagnosis or return date has been reported. His status for Wednesday is open.

Warriors vs Lakers: Stephen Curry Faces Luka Dončić

Stephen Curry and Luka Dončić renew their on-court rivalry as Golden State meets Los Angeles.

The Lakers open their first season since LeBron James left for Philadelphia. Dončić leads a roster that includes Austin Reaves and new centre Walker Kessler, who missed early preseason games with a finger injury. Dončić sat out both preseason games against Golden State, on 6 and 13 October, so Wednesday is the first real look at this matchup.

Curry plays alongside Draymond Green but without Jimmy Butler, who tore his right ACL on 19 January and has no return date. Coach Steve Kerr has floated February. Moses Moody is out with a torn patellar tendon, and Kristaps Porziņģis is out indefinitely while he sees doctors about his health.

Dončić and Curry meet again on 30 October in the Emirates NBA Cup, with Golden State at home at 10 pm ET.