The Minnesota Timberwolves host the New York Knicks at Target Center, and it’s the kind of interconference matchup that feels like a measuring stick more than a random Tuesday game. The Timberwolves are 19-10 and sitting fifth in the West. The Knicks are 20-8 and sitting second in the East.
These teams already saw each other once this season, and the Knicks made a statement, winning 137-114 in the first meeting. That matters here because it wasn’t a last-second coin flip. It was a full-on reminder that the Knicks can explode offensively when they get comfortable.
If you want the superstar headline, it starts with Anthony Edwards, who’s averaging 28.3 points per game on 48.6% from the field. On the Knicks side, Jalen Brunson is killing it with 29.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.4 rebounds, while Karl-Anthony Towns has been the steady production anchor at 21.6 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
Injury Report
Timberwolves
Joan Beringer: Out (G League, on assignment)
Enrique Freeman: Out (G League, two-way)
Joe Ingles: Out (personal reasons)
Rocco Zikarsky: Out (G League, two-way)
Jaden McDaniels: Questionable (left oblique contusion)
Knicks
OG Anunoby: Out (left ankle soreness)
Jalen Brunson: Out (right ankle injury management)
Pacome Dadiet: Out (G League, on assignment)
Miles McBride: Out (left ankle sprain)
Landry Shamet: Out (right shoulder sprain)
Guerschon Yabusele: Out (illness)
Why The Timberwolves Have The Advantage
This starts with the home setup, because the Timberwolves have been legit at Target Center. They’re 11-5 at home, and that matters in a game where the Knicks arrive short-handed in the backcourt and on the wing.
The next edge is that the Timberwolves can win without turning it into a track meet. Their offense sits at a 118.6 offensive rating, and they’ve got enough structure to create good looks even when the pace slows down. That’s huge against a Knicks team that usually wants to control the game with physicality and execution.
The biggest swing, though, is the interior math. Rudy Gobert is grabbing 10.9 rebounds per game while shooting 73.3% from the field, basically a walking “extra possession” machine when the game gets tight. If the Timberwolves win the glass, they don’t need to play perfectly. They just need to stack second chances and force the Knicks to guard one more action every trip.
And if Jaden McDaniels plays, it’s a real upgrade for the Timberwolves’ best defensive look. He’s the type of matchup piece who can spend possessions making life annoying for primary scorers without forcing the Timberwolves to overhelp. Even if he’s limited, his presence changes what lineups the Timberwolves can trust late.
So the Timberwolves’ path is clean: protect home court, win the rebound battle, and keep the Knicks from getting comfortable from deep.
Why The Knicks Have The Advantage
The Knicks’ advantage is that they don’t need a perfect game to score. Their offensive rating is 120.6, they’re hitting 38.0% from three, and they’ve consistently looked like a team that can generate points in bunches when the spacing is right.
They also bring a better overall efficiency profile. The Knicks have a +7.8 net rating compared to +4.8 for the Timberwolves, and that’s usually the quickest shorthand for, “one team plays cleaner basketball more often.” Even when the shot-making cools off, the Knicks tend to survive because they string together solid possessions on both ends.
There’s also a sneaky psychological edge: they already punched first in this season series with that 137-114 win. That kind of blowout isn’t something you forget, and it gives the Knicks a pretty clear game plan: keep the ball moving, hunt good threes, and force the Timberwolves to score in the half-court.
The obvious concern is availability, and it’s real, but the Knicks have still been winning lately anyway. They’re 8-2 in their last 10, same as the Timberwolves, which tells you their baseline is high even when things get messy.
If the Knicks hit shots early and control turnovers, they have the firepower and the confidence from the first meeting to steal this one.
Timberwolves vs. Knicks Prediction
I’m taking the Timberwolves. The home edge is real, and the Knicks’ injury list is the kind that can turn fourth quarters into “who can create anything at all” basketball. I still expect a competitive game because the Knicks’ offense travels, but the Timberwolves’ size and rebounding feel like the separator late.
Prediction: Timberwolves 114, Knicks 108
