Jaden McDaniels the latest star ruled out for Wolves-Knicks showdown

The Wolves and Knicks are two of the hottest teams in the league, but both will be a bit shorthanded Tuesday night.

Dec 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) goes to the basket against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the third quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The Knicks will be down two stars, and Minnesota won't have one themselves after ruling Jaden McDaniels out for the Tuesday night showdown in Minneapolis.

McDaniels was ruled out around noon Tuesday, with the Timberwolves saying the 26-year-old is dealing with a left oblique contusion that knocked him out of Minnesota's come-from-behind win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday.

McDaniels is believed to be day-to-day, so he may be back in the lineup for the Christmas night game against the Nuggets in Denver.

Minnesota has also ruled out veteran forward Joe Ingles for personal reasons, though Ingles is rarely deployed off the bench unless the Wolves need him for a key inbound in a crucial situation.

Meanwhile, the Knicks have ruled out point guard Jalen Brunson and forward OG Anunoby. Brunson is out due to "right ankle injury management," and Anunoby has a sore left ankle. Guerschon Yabusele is also out with an illness, while Landry Shamet (shoulder) and Miles McBride (ankle) remain out of the lineup with injuries.

Perhaps this is what the starting lineups will look like for the 7:10 p.m. CT tip?

Wolves	Knicks
Mike Conley	Tyler Kolek
Anthony Edwards	Mikal Bridges
Donte DiVincenzo	Josh Hart
Julius Randle	Karl-Anthony Towns
Rudy Gobert	Mitchell Robinson

Conley entering the starting lineup would make sense since Minnesota started the second half with him against the Bucks, and he helped key a 16-point comeback as the Wolves found a way to win for the ninth time in 11 games.

The Wolves could also keep Conley off the bench and start Jaylen Clark. That would help fill the defensive void left by McDaniels, who is one of the premier wing defenders in the NBA. On the flip side, the Knicks could choose to start Jordan Clarkson over Kolek or Robinson. It's just a matter of whether they want to go big or small to start the game.

Robinson had eight points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks in just 16 minutes off the bench the last time the Knicks and Wolves played, with the Knicks winning at home by a score of 137-114.