Knicks at Timberwolves
Minnesota hopes that a few days off, a return home and a visit from woeful New York on Wednesday allows it to snap out of a miserable funk. The Timberwolves have dropped five straight games by an average of 18.6 points, allowing 270 points in a back-to-back at New Orleans and Dallas late last week. To make matters worse, starting center Nikola Pekovic will miss at least three games with a sprained wrist.
The Knicks will have little time to recover from a 117-113 loss at Milwaukee on Tuesday that saw them erase most of a 26-point second-half deficit. Carmelo Anthony scored 26 points but had to leave the floor with a trainer for a moment in the first half and was seen limping a bit in the second. New York, which has lost eight of its last nine, has claimed the last three meetings in Minnesota.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FSN North (Minnesota)
ABOUT THE KNICKS (3-9): It may not provide much consolation, but New York has been in every game since a season-opening 24-point loss to Chicago. The Knicks' last five losses have come by an average of 4.2 points and their last three by a total of eight points. They scored 17 points in just over three minutes down the stretch in the loss at Milwaukee to make it close, but New York is now 1-4 in games decided by four points or fewer.
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (2-7): Already without point guard Ricky Rubio and now dealing with Pekovic's ailment, Minnesota must also press on without starting forward Thaddeus Young, who remains out after the death of his mother. More minutes are coming for forward Anthony Bennett - who had 10 points against Dallas in his first NBA start - and backup center Gorgui Dieng. The latter is averaging 10 points and 7.2 rebounds over his last five games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Minnesota makes 21.3 free throws per game, fifth in the league, while New York is last at 13.3.
2. Anthony has at least 25 points in five straight games after reaching that mark twice in his first seven contests.
3. Timberwolves F Shabazz Muhammad has shot 50 percent or better in six consecutive games, going 22-for-37 in the process.