Knicks Coach Details Challenge vs. Wolves

The New York Knicks will be tested against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Oct 13, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) blocks a shot by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham (4) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Oct 13, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Miles McBride (2) blocks a shot by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Rob Dillingham (4) during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
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The New York Knicks are heading into the Land of 10,000 Lakes as they take on the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second matchup on their three-game road trip.

The two teams know each other very well after the Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle trade before the start of training camp, setting the stage for potentially a great battle.

Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau has had a few days to prepare for the game, and he shared what he believes will be the biggest challenge for his team as they face the Wolves.

“They’re big. We faced a little bit of that (against) Orlando, as well. So it’s not only the initial part, but it’s gonna be the finish of the defense, that’s going to be the strongest part of the defense. Challenging the shot to the rebound," Thibodeau said h/t Posting and Toasting.

“You’re talking about (Rudy) Gobert, Julius (Randle) is a great offensive rebounder. Then you’ve got Naz Reid, you’ve got [Anthony] Edwards who’s going to crash, as well and you’ve got (Jaden) McDaniels, so they’re very athletic and if we don’t have contact it could be a problem.”

This means that the Knicks really need to put an emphasis on rebounding, and that has to be a team effort when you come into the game as the smaller team. Towns will have to lead the charge as the team's center and battle against Gobert in the post, but players like Precious Achiuwa, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart will have to put in more effort crashing the glass.

If the Knicks can find a way to out-muscle and out-rebound the Wolves, their chances of winning will skyrocket.

The Knicks and Wolves are set to tip off at 9:30 p.m. ET on Thursday. The game can be watched on TNT or streamed on the Max app.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.