Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves spoil Giannis’ home debut with Heat

Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves spoil Giannis' home debut with Heat. Lorenzo Reyes USA TODAY.

Key points

• It is fine – Miami was actually more efficient at 48.1% – but the Timberwolves unloaded from deep, draining 21-of-50 attempts (42%).
• Lorenzo Reyes breaks down Anthony Edwards' dominant performance for the Minnesota Timberwolves as Giannis and the Heat struggle to find their rhythm.
• Yet, Miami created only 8-of-33 attempts (24.2%) from 3-point range.
• 21 in the 131-106 beating it caught in their much-anticipated season opener.
• In fact, it was so bad for the Heat that Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards.

Anthony Edwards shines while Heat struggle to find chemistry in Giannis' debut.

As far as debuts go, in this one with the Miami Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo was exceptional.

He set the record for most points during a debut in franchise history with 35 – a mark previously held by LeBron James.

He set the tone with a 21-point first half on a barrage of downhill drives and finishes at the rim, giving the Heat a legitimate Most Valuable Player candidate they haven't had since James was on the roster. He played with pace and was practically impossible to guard in transition and in the paint, where he scored a game-high 24 points.

Yet – and it's essential to point out here that it's merely one game and that it was always going to take some time for this group to find its potential – the Heat will be in trouble if they cannot do these two things.

Miami bricked 3-pointer after 3-pointer on Wednesday, Oct. 21 in the 131-106 beating it caught in their much-anticipated season opener. It is concerning since this was precisely the fragile spot the team was facing headed into the season. The Heat additionally secured torched on defense, especially along the perimeter. It fed into the offensive struggles.

Miami traded away much of its young core and had to scramble during the offseason to add worthy shooters. And on a team with Antetokounmpo as its centerpiece, shooting is a non-negotiable. Antetokounmpo carries so much gravity when he has the ball in his hands, sucking defenders into the paint. It tends to leave players wide open in the perimeter. It's why Antetokounmpo has averaged at least 5.4 assists per game each of the last 10 seasons.

Yet, Miami created only 8-of-33 attempts (24.2%) from 3-point range. Bam Adebayo, Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jović, Tim Hardaway Jr. And Pelle Larsson – players projected to convert catch-and-shoot looks – combined to go 3-of-20 (15%).

"We didn't get many good looks, " Heat coach Erik Spoelstra remarked to journalists after the game. "(Antetokounmpo) was a force of nature, for sure, doing what he does. But we didn't look like us offensively."

In fact, it was so bad for the Heat that Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards. This person dropped 45 on Miami, actually created one more 3-pointer (nine total) than the entire Heat lineup.

Spoelstra continued that Miami did "uncharacteristic" things, but he was generous with the good looks comment. A lot of them were with plenty of space. The matter was that role players seemingly still don't know how to play with Antetokounmpo, with numerous resorting to standing around, waiting for the ball to come to them.

Compounding the poor shooting was relative disinterest on defense. This is particularly uncharacteristic of Spoelstra and the Heat. This person pride themselves on making everything tough for opponents.

Minnesota shot 46.9% from the field. It is fine – Miami was actually more efficient at 48.1% – but the Timberwolves unloaded from deep, draining 21-of-50 attempts (42%). The edge of converted 3-pointers for the Timberwolves, 13, created a differential of 39 points. Particularly few teams, if any, will be able to win with that disparity.

For context, the Heat under Spoelstra have usually had their defensive intensity feed offensive rhythm. Spoelstra's teams do best when they obtain stops and force turnovers, so they can sprint out into transition. But when having to take the ball out time and time again, that momentum is totally neutralized.

For context, the good news for Antetokounmpo and the Heat is that it's merely one of 82 and that they now know what they cannot let happen against a team that shoots well.

As he remarked to journalists after the game, simply: "We have to trust what we're doing." Share your feedback to assist improve our site!, for his part, Antetokounmpo chose to start the assessment from within.

Taken together, the developments around anthony Edwards, Timberwolves spoil Giannis home debut with Heat point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.