Minnesota Timberwolves vs New York Knicks: Preseason Game Prediction and Preview | Oct. 13, 2024

Karl-Anthony Towns will face off against his former side, the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Madison Square Garden on Sunday (Oct. 13). Towns to the Knicks was one of the blockbuster trades that went down just before the league's Media Day kicked off. Now, the big is part of a supercharged Knicks outfit that made headlines for some solid moves throughout the offseason to put them in title contention.

The spotlight will be firmly on Towns as he plays against the team that drafted him in 2015, and a franchise that he was part of for the entirety of his nine seasons in the NBA. It will be an emotional night for the center even as New York looks to prop up their third win on the bounce.

The big had a rather mixed debut for his new team. He propped up 10 points in their preseason opener against the Charlotte Hornets. He fared relatively better when they played their second preseason game against the Washington Wizards. The 4x NBA All-Star ended with 25 points, but it took a while to shake off the rust as he shot 7-20 from the field, 1-7 from beyond the arc, and 10-11 from the free throw line.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have a massive plug-and-play void in Towns' absence. But their defense is still elite with Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid spearheading the unit and contributing on both ends of the floor. Like the Knicks, they have won both their preseason matchups so far.

Last season, both teams met twice, splitting the result. While the outcome of this game is fairly inconsequential, it's the emotions and the new-look sides' capabilities that will garner enough attention.

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs New York Knicks preview, predicted starting lineups, odds, and prediction

The Minnesota Timberwolves vs New York Knicks skirmish tips off at 6 pm ET at the Madison Square Garden on Sunday evening. Local coverage will be on the NBA app where fans can tune into the game with a subscription to the NBA League Pass.

Here's a look at the odds as listed at the time of writing.

Teams	Spread	Moneyline	Total (o/u)
Minnesota Timberwolves	+2.5	+120	o221.5 (-110)
New York Knicks	-2.5	-144	u221.5 (-110)

Note: Odds are subject to change closer to tip-off

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs New York Knicks preview

Such are the expectations from both these teams that a mere preseason matchup provides a sense of a potential NBA Finals matchup if both teams remain as elite as they look on paper. That's also if they manage to put away some of the favored teams across both conferences. While the likes of the Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, and Denver Nuggets will surely have a say in the early bird prediction, both the T-Wolves and the Knicks have the firepower to go the distance.

Minnesota's Timberwolves lockdown defense ensured they recorded their first playoff series wins in two decades. There were two questions right after the KAT trade: Shot creation outside of Anthony Edwards and if the defense they boasted of last season could be sustained for another. The Timberwolves need more from Edwards, and even more from the rest of the outfit to make up for Towns' 21.8 points per game from last season.

Let's assume Reid provides that spark, he still needs to be impactful on both ends of the floor on a consistent basis. Once Julius Randle returns to the lineup, he will bolster their downtown shooting, while veteran Mike Conley and new acquisition Donte DiVincenzo form an interesting offensive combination. Half-court spacing will still be an issue with the Gobert-Randle-McDaniels combo clogging the frontcourt.

New York is not a lottery team anymore. Their moves have been massive —Shipping a slew of first-round picks for Mikal Bridges. Five years and $212.5 million for OG Anunoby. A whopping $156.5 million for Jalen Brunson, and then doing away with a franchise star for a new one to stack what has already been a menacing side.

The best-case scenario for this team is Towns settling in fine and elevating NY to a legitimate five-out bazooka. Between Brunson and Bridges' ability to score freely, KAT's offensive abilities, and Anunoby's defense, they can blow past 50 wins easily and compete with the versatility of the Celtics.

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs New York Knicks predicted starting lineups

The T-Wolves will likely field Conley Jr. and DiVincenzo at PG and SG respectively. Edward and Naz Reid take over frontcourt duties while Gobert comes in at the five. Jaden McDaniels, Joe Ingles, and Nickell Alexander-Walker are their bench options.

Minnesota Timberwolves Injuries: Julius Randle (shoulder) | Day-to-day

Brunson and Bridges form the backcourt for the Knicks. Josh Hart and Anunoby take over forward roles, while Towns comes in at center. Precious Achiuwa, Cameron Payne, and Landry Shamet are their role-player options.

New York Knicks Injuries: Jericho Sims (ankle), Miles McBride (illness), and Pacome Dadiet (finger0 | Day-to-day

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Minnesota Timberwolves vs New York Knicks prediction

It's the New York Knicks offense vs the Minnesota Timberwolves defense on Sunday with Edwards being the x-factor. Both teams have made massive gambles this summer, but remain optimistic about their chances. Take the Knicks to extend their winning streak.