The New York Knicks, our defending champions, are looking rough out of the gate, man. They just got absolutely shelled by the Minnesota Timberwolves, losing 122-104 right there in Madison Square Garden, pushing their preseason record to a dismal 0-3. Seriously, what’s going on? You’d think the champs would look a little sharper, even in a “dress rehearsal.”
Timberwolves Came to Play, LaMelo Ball Looks Right at Home
The Minnesota Timberwolves, now sitting pretty at 3-1, clearly came ready to announce themselves on the grandest basketball stage. Coach Chris Finch reportedly thought about resting his starters, but nope, only Jonathan Kuminga sat this one out. Everyone else wanted to play. And they certainly looked determined. We got our first look at LaMelo Ball rocking that Timberwolves blue, and he looked… well, like LaMelo Ball. He finished the night with 10 points, seven dimes, and five giveaways in 22 minutes. Sounds about right for a guy finding his rhythm with a new squad. He even had some words for the Knicks bench after draining a three! That’s the kind of fire you want to see. Anthony Edwards was an absolute sparkplug early, pouring in 11 points and leading a quick 7-0 run in the first quarter. Minnesota closed out the first period on a 9-5 run, taking a 30-25 lead. They just had that extra gear.
Champs Are Dragging Their Feet, and the Flopping Police Are On Duty
Meanwhile, the defending champs are definitely dragging their feet. Brunson and Towns were missing badly from deep right from the jump, setting a rough tone. And talk about rough, Brunson even got slapped with a flopping call after a shove from Gobert. Get ready for more of that, apparently, especially in these early months! The NBA refs are rolling out this new “STEM” criteria for flopping violations. That means they’re looking for Secondary, Theatrical, Exaggerated, and Movement. So, if you’re reacting late, being overly dramatic, exaggerating the force of contact, or doing some unnatural arm-flailing or “karate-style leg kicks,” the refs are gonna be all over it. Even with some buckets from Hart and Bridges and a couple of steals, the Knicks just couldn’t find their stride. Deuce McBride did lace a triple after checking in with Andre Drummond, giving the crowd a rare moment to cheer, but New York only managed five points in the last four minutes of the first quarter. Preseason basketball can get sloppy, but that’s a tough stretch for any team.
And hey, shoutout to Jose Alvarado! To start the second quarter, he pulled off a “Grand Theft Alvarado” special, picking Ball’s pocket on the inbound for an easy layup. He even swiped a Trey Lyles pass on the very next possession. He missed the floater, but man, it’s nice to see Jose in mid-season form already.
So, what does this all mean? The Knicks, the defending champs, are looking pretty shaky at 0-3 in the preseason, and they’ve got to clean up their act fast. The Timberwolves, on the other hand, are looking like a serious problem, especially with LaMelo Ball getting comfortable in that blue. This new flopping rule is going to be something to watch, too; players better adjust quick because the refs are calling it.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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