There was no Villanova reunion. There was no anticipated spat with Rick Brunson to keep an eye on. Former fans didn’t have the chance to watch him play on the Garden floor during what has been a hot streak for the Delaware native.

Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) shoots at the basket as Boston Celtics forwards Xavier Tillman (26) and Jayson Tatum (0) defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne) AP

The two Timberwolves, who were instrumental in last season's Knicks success, return to the Garden Friday night, but DiVincenzo is out with a toe sprain.

The 21-19 Minnesota Timberwolves have struggled to get on the same page at times after making a monstrous offseason trade that brought in Julius Randle

Want to trade Julius Randle? Target the worst teams in the league who are in a race for Duke phenom Cooper Flagg.

Will Minnesota try to trade Randle before the Feb. 6 deadline? If they do, will the decision backfire. If they don't, will they regret it?

Randle played a secondary role in the Timberwolves’ 116-99 win, taking a backseat in the spotlight as Anthony Edwards dazzled with 36 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

After making a perilous offseason blockbuster trade, the Minnesota Timberwolves have been fighting through team chemistry issues all season. Working in Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo hasn't been as easy as the team anticipated.

The Phoenix Suns want Jimmy Butler, but it's a pipe dream. These teams should be thought of more as destinations for the disgruntled Miami Heat All-Star.

In the aftermath of his first game against the Knicks this season, Julius Randle spoke candidly about the trade that altered his career. Looking back, Randle said that it "sucks" not to know what he could have accomplished with the Knicks.