This Wolves big froze the Heat and willed team to win off the bench
By Bret Stuter
Wolves perimeter balance is restored
Naz Reid did not just score 25 points to lead all scorers in this one, but he balled out on the boards too, hauling in eight rebounds. He even led everyone by tying Miami Heat’s PG Tyler Herro with four scores from the perimeter. But he only needed seven shots to score his treys, while Herro needed 11 shots to score his four.
Players in NBA history to score 25 points off the bench with a +/- or +30 or better in their first home game of the season:
— Automatic (@automaticnba) October 29, 2023
- Naz Reid
End of list. pic.twitter.com/qreC5BGuuk
Naz Reid is no longer one of the Minnesota Timberwolves best-kept secrets. In fact, he is not secret whatsoever. Right now, he is knocking out of Target Center with his ability to jumpstart this Timberwolves team off the bench.
Naz Reid on the "Naz Reid" chants: "Especially at this level, it’s something that you dream of. You never can really imagine something that special. I appreciate every single person that was able to do that for me."
— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) October 29, 2023
But . . . But… Butler didn’t play
The Timberwolves are just two games into the 2023-24 NBA season, and there are many areas that not only need to be improved but need a much stronger degree of consistency. The Timberwolves have played two games without starting small forward Jaden McDaniels, but nobody tried to caveat or qualify their three-point loss to the Toronto Raptors, who were fully healthy in the game.
NBA teams have to play whichever opponent appears on the schedule on any given night and must do so with whatever players are deemed healthy and rested enough to go. Right now, the hope is that Jaden McDaniels can return to the Timberwolves lineup soon. When that happens, the Timberwolves should be able to synch up and reach their peak.
*honks infinitely* pic.twitter.com/B1c8Dccr4T
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) October 29, 2023
The Timberwolves on the whole still have quite a ways to go. But Naz Reid is earning every penny of his contract extension right now.
Why not check out some other selected Minnesota Timberwolves articles?
- Were Wolves unwilling to share, or too willing to share, in their season-opening loss?
- 4 Timberwolves bigs need to show up big starting now
- The Timberwolves roster is finalized for the 2023-24 season, and it may floor you
- NBA In-Season tournament nears for suddenly struggling Wolves
- Wolves won’t win until they fix these glaring weaknesses
- Check This Out: Jaden McDaniels’ deal paints Timberwolves into a corner