Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks: Odds, injuries, what to watch for

The Minnesota Timberwolves look to continue the good vibes from Monday’s victory as they play host to former Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks.

Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks: Odds, injuries, what to watch for

Although they’re starting to get healthier, the Minnesota Timberwolves continue to be woefully shorthanded.

On Monday night, all five of their preferred starters were missing. Only two members of head coach Chris Finch’s regular rotation saw the floor, and one of the heroes of the game was 10-day contract signee Greg Monroe, who arrived at Target Center just three hours before tip-off to meet his coach and teammates for the first time.

The Wolves should have Patrick Beverley back on the court on Tuesday night and have three players (Anthony Edwards, Taurean Prince, and Naz Reid) who have cleared protocols but won’t yet be on the floor.

In the meantime, Finch will turn to the likes of Jaylen Nowell, Greg Monroe, and Malik Beasley to try and steal another short-handed win.

As for former Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau and the New York Knicks, the COVID-19 situation isn’t nearly as dire; only Nerlens Noel, Wayne Seldno, and Jericho Sims remain in health and safety protocols.

Still, the season hasn’t gone exactly as expected for Thibs and the Knicks. After surprising everyone with a 41-31 season and a playoff berth last year, the Knicks are just 15-18 this year and followed up a recent four-game losing streak by alternating wins with losses for the past few games.

Minnesota Timberwolves odds vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks are 4.5-point favorites according to WynnBet. Similar to the +6.5 that the Wolves were on Monday against the Celtics, this line feels just a bit too high — especially if Minnesota indeed gets Beverley back on the court.

TV and streaming info for Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks

• Tip-off: 7:00 CT
• Television: Bally Sports North
• Radio: 830 WCCO
• Stream: Fubo.tv offers streaming options

What to watch for in Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks

The Knicks have had a rough go of it on both sides of the ball this season.

They are currently No. 21 in defensive rating after clocking in at No. 3 last season. They’ve struggled to turn over opponents and have been mediocre on the glass, ranking No. 25 in turnover percentage on defense and No. 18 in defensive rebounding percentage.

Injuries and an unsettled rotation have played a part; Taj Gibson has only played in 17 games and RJ Barrett has missed seven games on the season. Kemba Walker went from being a starter to out of the rotation entirely. Now, due to Derrick Rose’s ankle surgery that will keep him out of action for a couple of months, Walker is a starter again.

The Wolves should have Beverley to guard Walker and a combination of Josh Okogie and Jaden McDaniels to check RJ Barrett. With no Karl-Anthony Towns or Jarred Vanderbilt, chasing Julius Rnalde all over the floor battling him on the glass will be a bit more of a challenge.

Still, the Wolves should be able to get what they want offensively. If they can get another player or two back from health and safety protocols and as long as Randle doesn’t entirely go off, they’ll have a chance to win this one.

Injury report for Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks

The Wolves are still without Towns, D’Angelo Russell, Vanderbilt, and McKinley Wright IV.

Beverley, Edwards, Taurean Prince, and Naz Reid are all listed as questionable due to return to play reconditioning, but most of them aren’t expected to be in uniform. Shams Charania reports that Edwards will not play and Adrian Wojnarowski says that Prince will also not suit up.

Beverley was on the bench in street clothes on Monday, for what it’s worth, and it seems to be more likely that he plays on Tuesday than the rest of the group.

We’ll be back after the game with key takeaways and player grades. Enjoy basketball, and here’s to 17-17!