Timberwolves snap 3-game losing streak with 102-101 win over Heat

The lowly Minnesota Timberwolves got 30 points from shooting guard Kevin Martin and solid play from Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio in a narrow 102101 home victory over the Miami Heat.

Rubio, who missed three months of the season with an ankle injury, showed his typical dribbling and passing flair in his second game back and his first action at the Target Center in Minneapolis since Nov. 1.

The Spaniard handed out nine assists and orchestrated a balanced attack by the Timberwolves, who shot 51 percent from the field and 54 percent from 3point range on Wednesday night to snap a threegame losing skid.

Martin was the hero of the contest, however, making the winning bucket with 41 seconds remaining after Heat power forward Chris Bosh had hit a jump shot nine seconds earlier.

Budding star Andrew Wiggins had a quiet night for the Timberwolves, scoring just six points.

Miami lost despite getting another big night from promising young center Hassan Whiteside, who scored 24 points on an ultraefficient 12of13 from the field and grabbed 20 rebounds, including nine on the offensive glass.

The Heat snagged 15 offensive boards overall, compared to just three for the Timberwolves, and that translated into more fieldgoal opportunities, although their lower percentage on both shots from the field (49 percent) and particularly freethrow attempts (67 percent, compared to Minnesota’s 82 percent) proved costly.

Miami also was without AllStar shooting guard Dwyane Wade, who is battling a hamstring injury.

The Timberwolves improved to 940 on the season, while the Heat, who lost their second straight game and are in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, fell to 2128.

In other action around the NBA, the Golden State Warriors improved their leaguebest record to 398 with a 128114 victory over the Dallas Mavericks, who squandered an early 22point lead.