KAT will look to continue heating up from deep against New York. (Aaron Lavinksy/Star Tribune)
The Timberwolves will once again play at home tonight after defeating the Houston Rockets on Saturday 129-117. Rudy Gobert missed that game and will also be out for tonight's game. The Timberwolves played well in Gobert's absence, and will hope to take advantage of a Knicks team traveling to Minnesota after a tough loss Saturday night to the Boston Celtics. The Knicks (4-5) kept themselves in the contest until the Celtics scored themselves into a ten-point lead with just a few minutes left in the game. Despite the loss, the Knicks had three starters with 20+ points. Both the Knicks and the Wolves are in similar situations at this point in the season, as both teams underwent significant retooling during the summer and have shown flashes of what could be while also playing poorly at other points. Both teams will look to break their inconsistencies during tonight's contest.
Game Information:
Tip-Off: 8:15pm CST
Location: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
Follow: Bally Sports North, NBA League Pass
Injury Report:
MIN: Rudy Gobert, OUT (Health and Safety Protocols)
NYK: Mitchell Robinson, OUT (Knee Sprain); Quentin Grimes, DTD (Foot)
Game Preview:
Mitchell Robinson's injury will be felt by the Knicks during this game, as Robinson is one of the best rim-protectors in the league and is one of the only reasonable options on this Knicks squad with the size to guard a player like KAT . The Knicks will have offseason-acquisition Isaiah Hartenstein to absorb Robinson's minutes but will likely have to run smaller players at the center position, such as Julius Randle or Obi Toppin, when Hartenstein is off the floor. With this lack of size, we can only hope for a Karl Anthony-Towns statement game. Additionally, the lack of Robinson's presence at the rim could mean seeing a Wolves offense that is fixated on scoring at the basket.
Another factor to keep an eye on during tonight's contest will be how Knicks prize free agent Jalen Brunson performs. Brunson spent his first four years in the league with the Dallas Mavericks, averaging a career-high 16.3 points per game last season. After his great season, talks about where Brunson would spend his next few seasons heated up. The Knicks signed him to a 4-year, 104 million dollar contract in July. Over his first 9 games as a Knick, Brunson is averaging 19.3 points per game (season-high 27 against Charlotte on 10/26/22) and 7.2 assists (season-high 13 against Charlotte on 10/26/22) at the point.
Jalen Brunson is playing himself into the conversation for the best Knicks point guard since Stephon Marbury. (Noah K. Murra)
With another victory, the Wolves would find themselves one win above .500 before another matchup with the Suns on Wednesday.
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