New York @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Dec 2, 2016 ) Minnesota 114, New York 118

The Minnesota Timberwolves have been dominant on their current homestand, while the New York Knicks have struggled all season to win away from home. The Timberwolves will try to keep their trend alive and the Knicks will attempt to end theirs when the teams meet Friday night in Minneapolis.

Behind another outstanding performance by Jimmy Butler (26 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots), Minnesota coasted past Oklahoma City 104-88 on Wednesday, improving to 3-0 on the homestand and claiming its sixth straight overall at the Target Center. "Guess we're, I don't know, growing a little bit," Butler told reporters. "For us to go out there and guard the way we did, do what we talked about in shootaround and the day before in practice, it's huge for us. We're growing as a unit." The Timberwolves are winning by an average of 20.7 points in the stay at home and will try for another rout against a Knicks team that dropped a double-overtime contest at home against Chicago on Wednesday. New York is notably 4-14 on the road but it did win its last such contest Sunday at Dallas.

TV: 8 p.m. ET, MSG (New York), FS North (Minnesota)

ABOUT THE KNICKS (19-22): Tim Hardaway Jr. has missed 20 games in a row with a leg injury but earned a questionable designation after he went through a full-court scrimmage and took contact in practice Thursday. "If it was playoffs then I would obviously," Hardaway told reporters of his chances to play Friday. "But regular season, the guys are out there fighting hard. Time will tell. I've still got to make sure I get evaluated and make sure I'm good to go." Coach Jeff Hornacek indicated that Hardaway may have to fight for some of the minutes that have been given to Lance Thomas and Michael Beasley, who returned from a one-game layoff to score 26 points in Wednesday's loss.

ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (27-16): Minnesota held its opponent under 100 in seven consecutive games, its longest such run in 10 years. "The way we've been playing, a lot of confidence, you can see the guys, especially the young guys, they're smiling every day knowing that they're in a good space and knowing that the hard work is coming around," forward Taj Gibson told reporters. "But it all comes from defense, and everybody's understanding that." Karl-Anthony Towns had 18 points and 12 rebounds in the victory for his seventh consecutive double-double.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Timberwolves PG Jeff Teague (knee) returned from a seven-game layoff Wednesday and had eight points and three assists in 26 minutes.

2. Beasley averages 12.4 points for the season but scored at least 15 in each of his last six games and at least 20 in three straight contests.

3. The Knicks swept two meetings last season and won seven of the last nine matchups.

PREDICTION: Timberwolves 115, Knicks 103