The Minnesota Timberwolves visit the Philadelphia 76ers tonight in their 2025 preseason finale at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It’s the final dress rehearsal before both teams shift focus to the regular season.
Minnesota is expected to rest most of its starters after a 126–120 loss to Chicago last night, when the Wolves’ defense faltered late, giving up 40 points in the fourth quarter. That opens the door for heavy minutes from second-unit players like Rob Dillingham, Terrence Shannon Jr., and Bones Hyland — all of whom will look to prove they can contribute meaningful depth once the season begins.
For the Timberwolves, this game is less about results and more about refinement. Head coach Chris Finch and his staff are using these minutes to test how younger guards handle tempo and decision-making, and to evaluate lineup chemistry behind stars like Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Julius Randle.
Minnesota has emphasized pace and defense throughout the preseason, but last night’s lapses highlighted ongoing concerns about rotations and communication — areas they’ll hope to tighten up before opening night.
The 76ers, meanwhile, will field their strongest lineup in their winless preseason so far. Joel Embiid is set to make his preseason debut — his first game action since February — marking a key milestone in his recovery and conditioning.
Head coach Nick Nurse said the plan is to have the team’s “main guys playing as long and as much together as we can” tonight, which includes Embiid, Quentin Grimes (also making his preseason debut), and rookie VJ Edgecombe, the team’s 2025 first-round pick.
Paul George remains out as he continues recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery in July. Though he’s resumed full 5-on-5 work in practice, he won’t appear tonight or in next week’s regular-season opener. The Sixers expect him back soon after, but questions linger about how the 35-year-old’s knee will hold up over the course of the season after he played only 41 games last year — his lowest output in a decade.
How to Watch Timberwolves vs. 76ers
Tip-off for tonight’s Timberwolves vs. 76ers game is set for 7:00 PM Eastern at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.
The game airs live on NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Out-of-market viewers can stream the matchup on NBA League Pass, available for $16.99/month or $109.99 for the full season when purchased directly from the NBA website.
Amazon Prime Video offers some discounts as well as ways to watch for free here. League Pass subscriptions start at $12.74 for the first two months on Amazon (then $16.99/month) — and that includes NBA TV.
Fans can also choose a Team Pass to follow one team’s games for $13.99 per month — or watch tonight’s game free with a 7-day trial.
Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Date: Friday, October 17, 2025
Time: 7:00 PM Eastern
Venue: Xfinity Mobile Arena, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
TV: NBC Sports Philadelphia
Streaming: NBA League Pass (out-of-market)
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