Knicks still looking for their first preseason win after 122-104 loss to Timberwolves

The Knicks are still searching for their first preseason win after a 122-104 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night at Madison Square Garden. The result leaves New York without a victory to point at through its early exhibition slate, a familiar but telling spot for teams working through rotations and roles in real time.

Preseason games are not typically judged by the standings. Still, a margin like 122-104 is the kind of scoreboard outcome that can sharpen coaching emphasis on the details, especially on defense and transition, where preseason lineups often look most different from the final product. For the Knicks, the loss means the next few exhibition opportunities will carry a dual purpose, getting work in while also finding quicker defensive rhythm against an organized opponent.

The Timberwolves, playing the kind of game that produces scoring runs when opponents are not yet fully settled, put enough points on the board to turn the evening into a chase. For New York, the challenge in exhibitions is often not effort, but continuity, getting stops consistently while subbing through lineups and trying different combinations.

One key feature of preseason basketball is that both teams can use the same roster construction problem as a learning tool. Minnesota can test how its lineup responds under pressure and stretches the floor, while New York uses the game to see how its offense performs when defenses are not set into regular-season scouting priorities. The 122-point total, regardless of who is on the floor at any moment, is usually a sign that the defensive communication was not yet fully locked in.

For Knicks fans, the headline here is simple, the team is still waiting on a first preseason win. That can raise the stakes in the next exhibition because a first victory can change the emotional temperature of practices and shorten the distance between “we’re experimenting” and “we’re executing.” Even so, preseason success is best viewed as process, not proof, since minute allocation and matchup priorities vary widely from game to game.

What matters next for New York is how the coaching staff responds to the loss. The Knicks will likely look for cleaner defensive possessions and sharper decision-making during shifts between units, the two areas that usually account for the largest point swings in exhibition play. Another priority is how the team manages tempo, because games can quickly tilt when one side establishes a run and the other side has to rebuild the pace on the fly.

The Timberwolves, meanwhile, can take confidence from generating points in a way that carries through different lineup phases. New York’s path to relevance this month remains the same, tighten the on-court reads, reduce the gap between defensive possessions, and build a preseason finish that sets the tone for the regular season.

For now, the Knicks’ preseason identity is still under construction. The next exhibition will show whether Monday’s 122-104 loss becomes a temporary stumble or another indicator that New York needs more time to find consistency before it turns the page to the regular-season opener.