Knicks vs. Timberwolves Prediction
The new-look Knicks will face their former teammates turned rivals, the Timberwolves, on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
Player Status
Anthony Edwards is listed as questionable due to ongoing recovery from a hamstring strain, so he might miss the game. Fans will see former Knicks Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, who were traded to Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Towns last season.
Team Performance
Neither team has started the season poised for a conference finals run, but both hold winning records after dominant victories against two of the league’s weakest teams on Monday night.
Playing Styles
The Knicks feature a new system focusing on ball and player movement, a sharp change from the stagnant offense seen during previous seasons, including those with Randle on the roster. Their style has produced a high volume of three-point attempts (43.9 per game, third-most in the NBA) with an above-average shooting percentage of 36.5% from deep.
In contrast, the Timberwolves rely heavily on isolation plays. They lead the NBA in points per game on isolation (12.7) but rank last in potential assists (38.7), a metric that counts passes leading to shot attempts.
"The Knicks’ new system, which emphasizes ball and player movement, has been a welcome sight after years of stagnant offense."
"The Wolves have been a more isolation-heavy team. They lead the NBA in points per game on iso plays (12.7) and rank last in potential assists (38.7)."
Author’s summary: The Knicks and Timberwolves meet with contrasting styles—Knicks’ fluid ball movement versus Wolves’ isolation plays—heading into a promising early-season clash.