Well, just two game previews ago, I was writing about how 7 different Wolves players were in health and safety protocols. It looked like Minnesota was in for a long end to 2021. One Moose later, things look a lot different. Let’s take a peak!

*deep breath filled with hope*

Game Info

Who: New York Knicks (15-18; 11th) at Minnesota Timberwolves (16-17; 8th)
When: 7:00 pm CST
TV: Bally Sports North
Radio: 830 WCCO AM Radio

Injury Report

What To Watch For

• At the time of writing this preview, it appears of all the questionable players listed on the Wolves injury report, Patrick Beverley is most likely to make his return tonight. He was sitting on the bench yesterday and looked ready to scrap with anyone in his path. His return would be a huge boon for Minnesota, especially in terms of energy and hustle. I do wonder how Tom Thibodeau hasn’t tried to scoop him up yet, as Pat Bev is the type of player that someone like Thibs would create in his wettest of wet dreams.
• The Wolves have discovered their power forward(s) of the future! I’d like to see Nathan Knight and Greg Monroe perform a Dragonball fusion dance to become “The Moose Knight.” In the meantime, I will settle for their ying-and-yang style of basketball in the frontcourt. Nathan’s punishing bully ball paired beautifully with Greg’s smooth footwork & passing ability yesterday. The Celtics had a strong stable of post defenders in Horford and the Williams twins, but the pure length of Mitchell Robinson will be a different beast.

• The Knicks are one of the slowest paced teams in the NBA (27th). Their slow, grind it out style should be of no surprise to Wolves fans who were forced to watch this type of basketball for a handful of years. Although Minnesota is typically a fast paced team (7th), it will likely depend on who’s all available. The speed of the game will be interesting to watch.
• The Knicks do not turn it over a whole lot (10th TOV%), but the Wolves are one of the best at forcing turnovers (2nd in OPP TOV%). The immovable object meets the unstoppable force!

Predictions

• During a critical 3rd quarter stretch that will decide the fate of the game, PatBev gets into a screaming match with Thibs. Pat emphatically claps in his face until Tom throws his top hat and umbrella gun at him, getting himself ejected from the game.

• Leandro Bolmaro strips Immanual Quickley and pulls off a behind the back dribble into a dunk in transition during garbage time. Wolves fans around the world in Minnesota drink the salty, salty tears of New York fans as they try to argue why Quickley is better than Lea. Just like the owner of their favorite basketball team, they are wrong.
• Greg Monroe posts a 31-31 line in honor of when Kevin Love did it against against the Knicks 11 years ago. A big anthropomorphic Monroe-Moose statue is immediately erected outside of Target Center (#SMUT). Wolves win, 100-88.