Miami's biggest question is Bam Adebayo. He has right groin tightness, sat out the exhibition against Brooklyn, and stayed home when the Heat went to Orlando for the preseason finale. Erik Spoelstra says he isn't overly concerned. Still, nobody has said Adebayo plays Wednesday, and a Heat team without him on opening night is a very different team.
Adebayo isn't the only Heat name on the report. Pelle Larsson (illness) and Dru Smith (calf) both missed that finale in Orlando, which leaves Spoelstra without 2 backcourt bodies heading into a matchup where Ball, Edwards and Dosunmu can all put pressure on the ball. If Larsson and Smith can't go, the Heat bench gets thin in a hurry.
Minnesota has its own long-term hole. Donte DiVincenzo is still out recovering from his Achilles injury, though he's confident he'll be back at some point this season. Until he is, the Wolves need Hyland, Dosunmu and Shannon to cover his minutes, and they'll get their first real test of that on the road.
The matchup inside is the one worth watching. If Adebayo plays, his ability to switch onto Ball and Edwards and still bother Gobert at the rim is what Miami's whole defense is built on. If he sits, Gobert and Beringer should own the paint and the Heat will have to win from the perimeter. Tip is 7:30 PM ET. The board has this close to a coin flip, which feels right for 2 teams that haven't played a game that counts yet.