Two title contenders are on a collision course at Madison Square Garden tonight. The Timberwolves (4-3) remain above .500 despite an early-season injury to superstar Anthony Edwards. It’s a similar story for New York (4-3), still finding its groove under new head coach Mike Brown.
Both of these squads enter the season with sky-high expectations. Wednesday’s contest will tell us a little more about each club in what should be a must-watch matchup.
The Knicks are 3.5-point favorites (-105) over the Timberwolves on DraftKings Sportsbook. New York is favored at -155 on the moneyline. The total is set at 228.5 points.
Knicks vs. Timberwolves prediction, preview
Injuries have the potential to dramatically shift this matchup. As of Wednesday afternoon, Edwards (hamstring) is questionable to play. However, Minnesota’s face of the franchise did participate in the team’s shootaround this morning, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. The guard has been held out for four straight games. Prior to his injury, Ant-Man was averaging 25.7 points on 52% shooting.
As for the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns (illness) is also questionable. The All-Star is an integral piece of New York’s offense. When these clubs met last December, KAT dropped 32 points and 20 rebounds against his old club. If the center misses tonight’s game, expect more work for backup bigs Mitchell Robinson and Guerschon Yabusele.
On the bright side for the home team, Jalen Brunson hasn’t missed a beat this season. The All-NBA maestro is averaging 29.0 points and 5.6 assists per game to go with 46/32/86 shooting splits. He’ll have a difficult challenge tonight against the Timberwolves, one of basketball’s best defensive units. Wing Jaden McDaniels is the kind of lanky defender that can pose problems for an undersized guard. Additional ball-handling opportunities could be in store for New York’s other guards, including Mikal Bridges.
The Knicks are shooting just 43.5% from the field, fourth-worst in basketball. That number is bound to improve as the season progresses. We’ve already seen it over the team’s last two games, comfortable wins against the Bulls and Wizards. However, a date with Minnesota presents a far more difficult challenge.
Even if Edwards suits up, the visitors will need some other names to step up. That includes former Knick Julius Randle, now in his second season with the club. Through seven games, the three-time All-Star has recorded 26.0 points, 7.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists. Granted, his bruising play style might not be as effective in this contest. New York has allowed 44.9 points in the paint per game, tied for the NBA’s sixth-lowest mark.
How have the Timberwolves remained competitive without Edwards active? A team-wide three-point percentage of 40.2%, third-best in basketball. Defense from beyond the arc, an expected strength for the Knicks, has been anything but that so far. New York has allowed the third-most makes per game to opponents from three-point range (15.4).
Knicks vs. Timberwolves pick, best bet
In this battle between title contenders, star power could reign supreme. The status of Towns, and to a lesser extent Edwards, looms large over this matchup. With or without New York’s center, both teams should find success on offense. Minnesota’s three-point success, while due for regression, should continue against a mediocre perimeter defense. As for the Knicks, they’ve notched 119+ points in each of their previous three outings. Expect enough scoring to go over this modest total on Wednesday night.
