New York Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau foretold their defeat at the hands of his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday. The Knicks lost 102-101 after a fourth quarter run from the Timberwolves erased a double-digit lead.
Thibodeau was conscious of the talent possessed by the Timberwolves when he talked to reporters before the game (via New York Post).
“It’s really a loaded roster. No lead is safe against them.”
And that's exactly what happened. The Knicks choked in crunch time, allowing the Timberwolves to mount the come-from-behind win. The Knicks still had the chance to steal the victory but RJ Barrett missed the game-winning shot, a stepback jumper over heavy coverage from Karl-Anthony Towns. The brick prompted Anthony Edwards to call out Barrett in his postgame interview.
As Thibodeau pointed out, the Timberwolves indeed feature a crop of strong young players, including Towns, Edwards, Malik Beasley, and D'Angelo Russell. Edwards, the first overall pick in last year's NBA Draft, has cemented himself as one of the best rookies and a player to watch going forward. Towns remains as one of the league’s premier big men, while Beasley is a proven scorer enjoying a breakout campaign.
But despite the talented core, the Timberwolves still hold the worst record in the NBA, a meager 12-36. The victory against the Knicks, however, might start off something.
Thibodeau and the Knicks, meanwhile, hold the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference with a 24-24 record. They will need to close out games like this one if they hope to continue their postseason push.
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