Timberwolves vs. Heat: Anthony Edwards scores 45 as Minnesota spoils Giannis' Miami debut, 131-106

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first regular-season game for the Miami Heat was a historic one. Anthony Edwards made sure it wasn’t a happy one. Edwards hit nine 3-pointers and scored 45 points, LaMelo Ball added 21 in his Minnesota debut, and the Timberwolves beat the Heat 131-106 at Kaseya Center on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The matchup drew more than 200,000 US searches, according to Google Trends.

Timberwolves vs. Heat: final score

Team	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4	Final
Timberwolves	34	35	30	32	131
Heat	32	27	22	25	106

Minnesota led 69-59 at halftime and by as many as 30 points in the fourth quarter. The Timberwolves won the 3-point battle by a staggering margin, outscoring Miami 63-24 from deep, and outrebounded the Heat 52-34, according to the Associated Press.

Anthony Edwards stats: 45 points and a club with Wilt and MJ

Edwards finished with 45 points on 16-of-29 shooting, including 9-of-17 from 3-point range, plus 10 rebounds, per the Miami Herald and AP.

It was his second straight big opener: he scored 41 in last season’s opener at Portland. According to the AP, that makes him one of only three players with at least 40 points in multiple season openers, alongside Wilt Chamberlain (who did it four straight years from 1959 to 1962) and Michael Jordan (1986, 1989 and 1995).

Edwards was at his best when the game was still close. With Miami within eight midway through the third quarter, Minnesota went on a 45-23 run, and Edwards scored 18 points in that stretch while the Heat missed 11 of 12 3-point tries, the AP reported.

LaMelo Ball stats in his Timberwolves debut

Ball, one of Minnesota’s headline offseason additions, finished with 21 points on 7-of-17 shooting, 5-of-13 from 3, plus two rebounds and six assists, according to the Herald. He and Edwards combined to shoot 14 of 30 from deep.

The rest of the Wolves’ scoring:

• Jaden McDaniels: 17 points
• Ayo Dosunmu: 16 points
• Jonathan Kuminga: 12 points
• Rudy Gobert: 15 rebounds

The win was Minnesota’s sixth in its last eight season openers, per the AP.

Giannis Antetokounmpo stats: a record night in a loss

Antetokounmpo scored 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting and 9-of-14 free throws, with six rebounds, before fouling out with 7:09 left in the fourth quarter. He opened the game by scoring Miami’s first eight points and had 21 by halftime.

The Herald noted that his 35 points were the most by any player in a Heat regular-season debut, passing the 31 LeBron James scored in his first game with Miami in 2010. He fell two points short of the franchise record for an opener, James’ 37 to start the 2011-12 season.

How Minnesota pulled away

The first half was a back-and-forth affair with seven lead changes and seven ties, the Herald reported. Miami led by three with 5:25 left in the second quarter before the Wolves closed the half on a 22-9 run.

The AP framed the decisive stretch slightly differently: a 23-7 burst that started late in the second quarter and spilled into the third, turning a one-point Minnesota lead into a 78-61 edge. Edwards and Ball combined for 17 points during that run, while Miami missed six of nine shots and turned the ball over four times.

What the loss means for Miami

Miami’s new starting five of Davion Mitchell, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo was outscored by seven points in nine minutes together, according to the Herald. Adebayo finished with 15 points.

The Heat have now lost three consecutive season openers, the third time that has happened in franchise history, per the AP. It doesn’t get easier: Miami hosts the Detroit Pistons on Friday. Minnesota visits Orlando the same night.

FAQ

Who won Timberwolves vs. Heat? Minnesota won 131-106 in Miami on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.

How many points did Anthony Edwards score? 45, with nine 3-pointers and 10 rebounds.

How did Giannis do in his Heat debut? He scored 35 points on 13-of-19 shooting before fouling out, the most ever in a Heat regular-season debut.

When do the Heat and Timberwolves play next? Both play Friday: the Heat host Detroit and the Wolves visit Orlando.