Knicks vs. Timberwolves Prediction and Odds for December 19: KAT Returns to Minnesota

The New York Knicks (16-10) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (14-11) headline the NBA’s return to regular-season action on Thursday following the Milwaukee Bucks’ triumph in the NBA Cup Final.

The Knicks and Timberwolves cemented themselves as trade partners a few months ago when Minnesota sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Big Apple in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. They had a harder time adapting to life with their new personnel, while it didn’t take long for the Knicks to become the most efficient offense in the sport.

The extra period of rest combined with the emotional nature of Towns returning to Minnesota ensures this will be a feisty game between two Finals hopefuls.

Here, we will share our best Knicks vs. Timberwolves betting picks for Thursday.

Knicks vs. Timberwolves Betting Odds for Thursday, December 19

The Knicks are 12-13-1 (48 percent) against the spread, 6-8 (42.9 percent) ATS on the road, and 1-1 (50 percent) ATS as an underdog.

The Timberwolves are 11-14 (44 percent) ATS, 4-8 (33.3 percent) ATS at home, and 10-13 (43.5 percent) ATS as a favorite. 

Odds for the Knicks vs Timberwolves game are courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Head over to BetMGM to place your bets and claim up to $1,500 in bonus bets* with our promo code WSNSPORTS.

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Knicks vs. Timberwolves Prediction

New York Knicks Preview

The Knicks have created the modern version of offensive euphoria. Their talented roster blends ball movement, three-point shooting, slashing, rim pressure, shot creation, and foul-drawing in a way that allows them to breeze past many of their opponents without getting out of second gear.

The Knicks won 11 of their last 15 games and took down teams such as the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic during that stretch. They rank third and are 0.9 points off of first in offensive rating, and they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.6 points per 100 possessions (fifth).

Unlike traditional Tom Thibodeau teams, the Knicks haven’t found their stride on defense just yet. They have All-Defense-level players in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby but haven’t found a way to leverage their abilities enough to significantly increase the team’s bottom line.

The Knicks are 16th in defensive rating for the year and 15th over their last 15 games, which shows that they haven’t found the changes that will propel them to the next level of championship contention. That’s arguably the most important problem they need to solve between now and the playoffs.

Defense aside, the Knicks are fourth in assist percentage and fourth in assist-to-turnover ratio. They’re a passable 13th in rebound rate and don’t give up cheap baskets in transition, checking in at fifth in opponents’ fastbreak points.

Towns, the man of the hour on Thursday, is having a sensational season, averaging 24.8 points and 13.9 rebounds on 43.9 percent three-point shooting. He’s also taken huge strides as a playmaker and a clutch shooter.

Minnesota Timberwolves Preview

On the other side, the Timberwolves encountered many of the same problems they had last year. They could stay competitive against pretty much any team but would run into trouble creating offense and playing with purpose late in games.

However, swapping Towns for a lesser defender in Randle meant that the Wolves often did not get the stops at the same frequency that they did last year when they led the NBA in defensive rating.

Minnesota worked hard to address many of these issues, and to their credit, there’s already been significant improvement. The Wolves are up to fourth in defensive rating and led the league with a superb 99.3 rating over the last 10 games.

That said, the Wolves have the second-worst clutch offensive rating in basketball. They also haven’t gotten the production off the bench they expected from DiVincenzo, who averaged just 8.3 points on 31.9 percent three-point shooting.

One reason their offense struggled to hit the same heights it did a year ago is their three-point shooting, which went from outstanding to below league-average. That can be attributed to the departure of Towns, who was not only a great distance shooter, but whose size created strain on defenses and forced them to overextend or tilt in ways that left them vulnerable on the back side.

To their credit, the Wolves still held opponents to 33.3 percent shooting from three—the worst in the league. 

Minnesota has an overall net rating of +4.2, good for eighth in the league. That number jumps to +6.5 at home, while the Knicks are +2.7 on the road, both of which rank ninth.

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Knicks vs. Timberwolves Betting Pick

• Knicks vs. Timberwolves pick: Timberwolves -2.5 (-110) at BetMGM

As is the case any time a player has to take on their old team, the stakes and intensity are going to be heightened in this matchup. 

Randle wasn’t great heading into the break but will have the unwavering support of Anthony Edwards, who is one of the fiercest competitors in the league. Meanwhile, the Knicks are trying to take their show on the road and prove that they have the firepower to take down one of the best defenses in the league.

We like the competitive spirit of the Wolves in this matchup, particularly in front of their home fans and because of their defensive intensity. They should also have a level of familiarity with how to deal with the threat of Towns on offense, making them our best bet in this game.

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How to Watch Knicks vs. Timberwolves on 12/19/24

• When: Thursday, Dec. 19 @ 8:30/9:30 p.m. CT/ET

• Where: Target Center, Minneapolis, MN

• TV: TNT

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