Knicks vs. Timberwolves prediction: Odds, pick, best bets for Wednesday

The Knicks and Timberwolves will square off under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night.

Anthony Edwards was upgraded to questionable for this game as he continues to rehab from a hamstring strain, so there’s a decent chance we don’t see him. We will get to see former Knicks Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, who were shipped to Minneapolis for Karl-Anthony Towns last season.

Neither the Knicks nor the Wolves have started the season looking like teams that will return to the conference finals, but it’s still early. They both enter this game with winning records after pummeling two of the worst teams in the league Monday night.

There’s a clear contrast in styles between these two. The Knicks’ new system, which emphasizes ball and player movement, has been a welcome sight after years of stagnant offense, including the years Randle was on the team. All the movement has led to a high volume of 3-point attempts (43.9, third-most in the NBA), but the Knicks are shooting just above league average on those shots (36.5 percent).

The Wolves have been a more isolation-heavy team. They lead the NBA in points per game on iso plays (12.7) and rank last in potential assists (38.7), which tracks how many passes they make that lead to an attempt.

They were already thin at point guard, entering the season with Mike Conley as their most reliable ball handler next to Edwards, who has become the engine for this offense. With Edwards sidelined, Randle has taken over the reins, and the offense has a ceiling on it with him leading the way.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo is double-teamed by New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) and guard Jalen Brunson (11). IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Over the past three games, the Knicks’ offense has really ticked up, and they look like they are finding a comfort level with one another. The offense is still being funneled through Jalen Brunson and Towns, but there’s more room for the contributors like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to find their rhythm earlier in games.

With the style the Knicks are playing, I think they’ll be a matchup problem for the Wolves, especially with Rudy Gobert on the floor.

He has struggled to defend on the perimeter in his career, and he’ll need to guard the corners if the Wolves expect to slow down the Knicks. If Gobert is off the floor, that opens up the paint for the Knicks to attack. Either way, it will be tough for the Wolves to keep up with the Knicks’ pace.

I like the Knicks to keep their undefeated home streak rolling Wednesday night.

The PLAY: Knicks (-166, DraftKings)

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Malik Smith has been immersed in the sports betting industry since 2017. He’s a data nerd with a particular focus on the NBA and combat sports. He spends his weeknights in the winter looking for edges on plus-money NBA player props.