New York Knicks vs Minnesota Timberwolves – the Beginning of a New NBA Rivalry

The NBA has long been defined by legendary rivalries like the Chicago Bulls vs. Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics, and Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs. These intense matchups are what keep fans hooked, and they’re a huge part of why the league continues to grow.

Fierce competition between players and franchises is essential for building that excitement. And honestly, I believe we’ve just witnessed the start of the next big rivalry—Minnesota Timberwolves vs. New York Knicks. The Knicks – after their disappointing loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season – went all in to clinch the coveted Larry O’Brien trophy this season. First, they acquired Swiss-army knife forward Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in the summer, but the real bombshell came when they pulled the trigger on a blockbuster trade for Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns. 

Minnesota had been looking to move KAT’s hefty $224 million contract, and the Knicks were bold enough to take the gamble. In return, New York sent off Julius Randle and last season’s breakout star, Donte DiVincenzo. To say this trade left both fanbases torn would be a massive understatement. Sure, KAT could supercharge the Knicks’ offense, but losing DiVincenzo—a sharpshooter who averaged 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists, and knocked down 283 threes (third only to Steph Curry and Luka Doncic)—was a tough pill to swallow.  

However, Knicks’ fans had the chance to give a perfect send off to their former stars, as the T-Wolves rolled into Madison Square Garden for a preseason showdown with the Knicks yesterday. But it wasn’t the reunion most fans were hoping for. Fans came in expecting heartwarming hugs and friendly dap-ups between former teammates, but the reality was far from it. While there were a few polite exchanges, the intensity quickly took over as Di Vincenzo and Randle found themselves in heated verbal back-and-forth with the Knicks bench throughout the game.  

Donte Di Vincenzo started the game as the point guard of the team, playing alongside franchise star Anthony Edwards in the backcourt. While Ant was the star of the show again – scoring a game high 31 points – it was Di Vincenzo’s performance that impressed most fans. The 27-year-old guard racked up 15 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds in 27 minutes of playing time. But amid this impressive showing, Donte had a few heated exchanges with the Knicks’ bench, especially during free-throws. The guard could be heard saying, “Thank you for the trade Thibs. Thank you for the trade… that’s what happens when they let you run the show. That’s what happens when they let you run the show. This is what happens when they let you run the show,” aimed at head coach Tom Thibodeau. Following the game, things even got uglier as Donte was confronted by Knicks’ assistant coach, Rick Brunson. The duo had to be separated by teammates and coaches. Rick Brunson could be heard saying, “I’ll see you next game,” to Di Vincenzo. 

DiVincenzo wasn’t the only one to get into it with a Knicks staff member—Julius Randle also found himself in a strange argument with Knicks' two-way liaison, Kwadzo Ahelegbe. However, that exchange wasn’t nearly as heated as the back-and-forth between Donte and Rick Brunson.  While both Di Vincenzo and Knicks’ coach Tom Thibodeau downplayed the situation as being “competitive,” the bad blood between the two sides was very evident. Di Vincenzo, Randle and even KAT have a chip on their shoulder, and whenever these two teams face each other, it’s going to be a heated battle. Sadly for fans, the only way to see this rivalry truly explode in the postseason is if both teams make it to the NBA Finals, as the Knicks and T-Wolves are in different conferences. But one thing’s for sure—whenever they do meet, it’s going to be must-watch basketball.