Following a three-game win streak for the New York Knicks, they would look to extend their streak to a season-high four wins, but the Minnesota Timberwolves proved to be too much to handle. After a stretch of being automatic from beyond the arc, the Knicks would find themselves in a cold spell, shooting under 30% from three-point range and getting run off the court.
The bench would struggle to contribute much in the contest, and with Minnesota’s efficient night from the field, and after keeping it competitive for the first half of the contest, they’d drop this one by double-digits 117-100.
Rare Poor Performance on Defense and From Three End the Knicks’ Win Streak
Entering tonight’s game, the Knicks were the sixth-most efficient offense from beyond the arc (38.1%) while attempting the tenth-most threes in the league per game (36.8), but New York’s usually strong three-ball disappeared. Shooting just 9-38 (23.7%) on the night from deep, the Knicks were held to just 100 points on the night, and while they looked like they’d hang in there all game when it was 58-56 Minnesota at the half, they’d get run off the court in the third quarter.
Led by a strong night from Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves would score 117 points while shooting 51.2% from the field, and showing off why they’re second in the NBA in Defensive Rating (107.0) by holding the Knicks to just 34.8% from the field. The Knicks could only muster 19 points while the T-Wolves dropped 35, and it was the turning point of the contest as it knocked the wind right out of New York’s sails.
Jalen Brunson would lead the team with 25 points on 7-15 (46.7%), hitting all eight of his free throw attempts and three of his six attempts from three. Brunson, who won Eastern Conference Player of the Week, had another strong scoring night, although it failed to amount to get the Knicks over the hump in tonight’s game. Julius Randle would go for 21 points, but only shot 6-16 (37.5%) from the field, although his 14 rebounds led both the Knicks and Timberwolves.
RJ Barrett would only add 14 points on the night in a 4-13 (30.8%) performance from the field in his second game back from his migraine issues. Inefficiency was the theme of the night for New York, as Quentin Grimes would go 0-6 in his return from his hand injury and Josh Hart scored four points on six total shots. Donte DiVincenzo ran cold after a stellar performance with just seven points on eight shots and Immanuel Quickley shot 30% from the field for 15 points on the night as well.
The Knicks did still get a reliable night on the glass from Mitchell Robinson, who had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds, and as expected New York outrebounded Minnesota 50-44, but the lack of shooting really hurt their chances. It’ll conclude a five-game road trip where the Knicks as a whole went 3-2, and they’ll look to get back in the win column in a home contest against the Miami Heat on Friday, their first matchup since the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals.