Hours removed from playing what Coach Sam Mitchell described as their worst game of the season, the Minnesota Timberwolves arrived in New York on Wednesday at 2:30 a.m. Mitchell thought that fatigue might be a factor in his team’s game against the Knicks that night at Madison Square Garden.
Mitchell was correct, and the Knicks were in no position to commit random acts of kindness. They ran out to a big lead and then survived a lackluster second half on their way to a 107-102 victory. It made little difference to them that their win came against a tired, undermanned team.