Timberwolves
Timberwolves bury 18 threes, roll bench 56-47 past Knicks 122-104
Minnesota beat New York 122-104 at Madison Square Garden in a preseason game. The Timberwolves led by as many as 20, shot 53.8% with 18 made threes, and outscored the Knicks' bench 56-47. It's preseason, so it carries no weight in the standings, but Minnesota's starters and reserves both won their minutes.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 9 d ago01The story of the nightWolves control it from the jumpMinnesota never trailed by more than a point and led by 20 at its biggest.
Minnesota never trailed by more than a point and led by 20 at its biggest. The Timberwolves won the first quarter 30-25, then pulled away 32-25 in the second to go up 62-50 at the half. New York's only answer was a 30-24 third quarter that barely cut into the gap. Minnesota closed with a 32-24 fourth. Lead changes were rare — two apiece — because the Wolves set the terms early and the Knicks never found a sustained run to flip it.
02Edwards and McDaniels carry the offenseAnthony Edwards led all scorers with 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three.
Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 26 points on 8-of-16 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three. Jaden McDaniels was right behind him with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting and 4-of-5 from deep. For New York, Jalen Brunson topped the box score with 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting and 7-of-8 from the line, with OG Anunoby adding 15 on 4-of-8 shooting and 6-of-6 free throws. Karl-Anthony Towns, facing his former team, scored 11.
03Threes and the bench decided itNew York actually won the paint, 42-36, but that was its only edge.
New York actually won the paint, 42-36, but that was its only edge. Minnesota shot 18-of-34 from three to the Knicks' 8-of-32, a 10-make gap that outweighed anything New York did inside. The Wolves also ran, scoring 16 fast-break points to New York's 5, and turned Knicks turnovers into 24 points against just 15 the other way despite both teams committing 19 turnovers. Minnesota's bench outscored New York's reserves 56-47, led by Ayo Dosunmu's 11 points and a plus-13 mark, with Tony Bradley's 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting the lone bright spot for New York's reserves.
04What it means for each teamIt's preseason, so the result doesn't touch either team's record, which both enter at 0-0.
It's preseason, so the result doesn't touch either team's record, which both enter at 0-0. For Minnesota, the night confirms Edwards and McDaniels are in playing shape and the reserve unit — eleven players deep, including Zyon Pullin, Bones Hyland and Joan Beringer — has scoring punch. For New York, Brunson and Anunoby looked sharp, but the 8-of-32 mark from three and a minus bench performance are the kind of warning signs a team wants to fix before games start counting.
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