Timberwolves Cruise Past Knicks, 122-104, in Garden Preseason Game

Minnesota beat the defending champions by 18 at Madison Square Garden, sending New York to 0-3 in the preseason.

Preseason Game Preview: Knicks vs. Timberwolves, October 12, 2026 — Yahoo Sports

MIN @ NYK Oct 12, 2026 at 11:30 PM UTC

The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New York Knicks 122-104 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, a preseason game that was not close by the end. An 18-point margin leaves little to argue over, and the Wolves left the building with the kind of comfortable road win that rarely happens in October.

The Knicks brought back their entire title roster, so this was a first look at how the defending champions might shape up before the games start to count. On this night the picture was unflattering. New York did not look like a team with a banner to hang, even allowing for the usual preseason caveats about rotations and conditioning.

The loss drops the Knicks to 0-3 in the preseason, and they are still searching for a win at home after starting 0-2. Minnesota improved to 3-1. The Wolves are a harder opponent than most August-through-October schedules provide, with LaMelo Ball and Jonathan Kuminga now in the mix alongside Anthony Edwards. That is a lineup meant to test any team's depth on both ends of the floor.

Records matter little in games like this one. Coaches treat them as dress rehearsals, and the real business is the fight for minutes and roster spots among the newer players, which is where the Knicks' attention will turn. Those who couldn't get to the Garden could watch nationally on NBA TV, or locally on DAZN, the Knicks' new streaming home. DIRECTV also carried it.

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