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The Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks will square off in the NBA preseason tonight. Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The game will broadcast live on NBA TV.
The Knicks are 1.5-point favorites over the Wolves on the spread, with the over/under set at 227.5 total points. The Knicks are -120 moneyline favorites to win outright, while the Timberwolves are listed as +100 underdogs to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Timberwolves vs. Knicks predictions and NBA picks for Monday, October 12.
Timberwolves vs Knicks Prediction
- Timberwolves vs Knicks pick: Timberwolves +1.5 (-110)
My Timberwolves vs Knicks best bet is Minnesota to cover the spread (+1.5), with the best price currently available at FanDuel. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NBA odds page.
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Timberwolves vs Knicks Odds
| Timberwolves Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -110 | 227.5 -110o / -110u | +100 |
| Knicks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -110 | 227.5 -110o / -110u | -120 |
- Timberwolves vs Knicks spread: Knicks -1.5 (-110), Timberwolves +1.5 (-110)
- Timberwolves vs Knicks over/under: 227.5 (-110o / -110u)
- Timberwolves vs Knicks moneyline: Timberwolves +100, Knicks -120
Timberwolves vs Knicks NBA Preseason Preview
Minnesota Timberwolves Betting Preview
The Timberwolves enter this season following a strong 49-33 campaign in 2025-26 where they reached the Western Conference Semifinals. Last season, Minnesota boasted a top-10 defense (113.5 Defensive Rating) alongside a steady, efficient offense (116.8 Offensive Rating).
Applying the logic of our Bet Labs system titled "Road 'Dog System (NBA Preseason)," visiting underdogs often present strong value because the betting market tends to overvalue home-court advantage and baseline roster performance in games where coaches are experimenting with rotations.
Minnesota fits this profile perfectly. The line opened at Knicks -2.5 and has dropped down to -1.5, backed by sharp action—74% of the tickets and 77% of the money according to our internal public bet tracking data.
With head coach Chris Finch possessing deep bench units capable of executing tactical schemes without typical game pressure, Minnesota's roster depth should be able to keep things tight on the road in this spot.
New York Knicks Betting Preview
The Knicks are fresh off a championship season in 2025-26, finishing 53-29 and capturing the NBA title under head coach Mike Brown.
The Knicks were elite on both ends last year, ranking 3rd in Offensive Rating (119.8) and 7th in Defensive Rating (113.3) while playing at a controlled 96.8 pace.
However, preseason expectations require a different betting lens than regular-season credentials. Madison Square Garden naturally inflates public perception, which is why oddsmakers initially set New York as an opening -2.5 favorite. Yet, line movement down to -1.5 signals clear market resistance.
Because starter minutes are pretty much always capped in exhibition games to manage workload and evaluate secondary units, the gap between New York's primary rotation and Minnesota's depth narrows significantly, making it difficult to trust the home favorite to cover.
Timberwolves vs Knicks Pick, Betting Analysis
The convergence of line movement and system theory makes the Timberwolves an ideal play. With 77% of the money pushing the line down from -1.5 toward Minnesota, sharp action is resisting the public's urge to back the defending champion Knicks at home.
In an exhibition environment where rotational depth matters far more than starting lineup prestige, backing the road underdog is the mathematical move here.
Pick: Timberwolves +1.5 (-110)
