Minnesota Timberwolves vs Miami Heat Picks and Prediction for Saturday January 3 2026

By: Eddie Kline Published 01/03/2026, 05:00 AM ET

Timberwolves Preview

The Saturday NBA schedule will get started with a matchup between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Miami Heat from the Kaseya Center. For other NBA action see our NBA Predictions. The Timberwolves (21-13) have lost three of their previous four games and are a half-game back of Los Angeles for fifth place in the Western Conference standings. On Wednesday, Minnesota trailed by 21 points at halftime during a 126-102 road loss against Atlanta.

All-Star G Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 30 points on 10-for-18 shooting and finished with a minus 21 rating. Julius Randle added 19 points (7-13 FG) and seven rebounds for the Timberwolves, who fell to 9-7 on the road.

Heat Preview

The Miami Heat are riding a four-game winning streak and are locked in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Heat (19-15) rank third in the league in defensive efficiency and are giving up 117.4 points per contest. On Thursday, Miami forced 20 turnovers during a 118-112 road victory against Detroit.

Miami G Norman Powell knocked down half of his 14 three-point attempts and finished with a game-high 36 points. Jaime Jaquez Jr. chipped in 19 points and five assists in 30 minutes off the bench. Andrew Wiggins added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Heat, who improved to 7-10 on the road.

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Timberwolves vs Heat Pick

Miami G Tyler Herro (toe) has not suited up since early December and will remain sidelined for this game. These two teams are very evenly matched statistically, so there is no value on the side. The defenses are far ahead of the offenses, so take the under. Final Score Prediction, Minnesota Timberwolves win 115-113.

How To Bet This Matchup

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