KAT slayed the Wolves.
In an emotional return to the city where he spent the first nine years of his NBA career, Karl-Anthony Towns went off for 32 points, 20 rebounds and 6 assists as the Knicks dominated the Timberwolves, 133-107. It was KAT’s sixth career 30-20 game, and his first since 2019. He shot 5-of-5 from beyond the arc.
“Got a good win for the city, a place I’ve called home for nine seasons,” the Piscataway, N.J. told Jared Greenberg of TNT. “This place means a lot to me and my family. Everyone was trying to make it seem like it was just another game, I knew it wasn’t. I’m just happy that our team could play the way we played tonight, and get the win.”
Mikal Bridges, who also changed teams in the offseason via a trade from the Nets, went for 29 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists, and Jalen Brunson added 14 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds. Josh Hart did not play for personal reasons.
The Knicks (17-10) shot 20-of-45 from deep en route to their second straight win since Trae Young pretended to roll dice on their logo after a victory in the NBA Cup quarterfinals.
Towns, who was coming off a 22-point, 22-rebound game in Sunday’s win in Orlando, got a standing ovation from Minnesota fans before the game. The Wolves then played an emotional tribute video to honor the player who ranks second all-time in franchise scoring history and who played with both Kevin Garnett and Anthony Edwards.
Before the game, Towns donated $25,000 that will be split among two charities he worked with during his time in Minnesota. More than 150 local kids came out to root him on.
“I’m an avid Timberwolves fan now, so I be watching a lot of the games when I get a chance,” Towns ahead of the game, his first in Minnesota since the blockbuster trade that sent him home to New York just before training camp. “They’re still my brothers. They’re still my guys just because I lost love for them. My love for them is always going to be there.”
Julius Randle, the other principal in the trade, went for 24 points while Donte DiVincenzo scored 15 on 5-of-9 shooting.
All the guys who were traded before the season played well.
The Knicks trailed 33-32 after one period, but the game turned in the second when Towns scored 19 points as New York outscored Minnesota 41-18 to take a 73-51 halftime lead.
All three players involved in the trade downplayed the emotions heading into the game, but Hart said Wednesday that Randle and DiVincenzo felt “emotional” and “unwanted” after the deal.
That sentiment was echoed by others heading into the game.
“When you get traded, you get mad,” Charles Barkley said on TNT.
“A lot of emotions in this game….Guys who think they were spurned by their original team,” ,” Stan Van Gundy said on air.
Randle came out of the gate with the hot hand and had 15 in the first quarter.
But the game turned in the second quarter as Towns began to obliterate double-teams and drain from distance, where he was 4-of-4 in the first half. After having four turnovers in the first quarter, Towns had none afterward.
He had 22 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals at the half, becoming just ninth Knick since 1997-98 to record 20+ points and 10+ rebounds in a half. He was the first Knick to accomplish this since Randle (2020).
“I just let the game come to me,” he said on TNT. “I know in the first quarter everyone was pressing for me to shoot the ball and I was just seeing the way their defense was playing. I just didn’t want to let my emotions overcome the game. And I wanted to play for the win. I wasn’t playing for myself, I was playing for the win.”
He added: “I knew in the second and third, I would find myself getting going and my teammates put me in positions to succeed, the coaching staff did. So shout out to them, it’s because of them we were able to get this win.”
The Knicks led by 30, 104-74, after three when Towns had 30 points and 18 boards.
“This guy’s always been one of the best big men in the league, the best shooting big man in the history of the league and we’re seeing it all tonight,” Van Gundy said.
“If this was a movie, you would say it’s not believable, come on,” he added. “Nobody comes back to their city where they played nine years and has it this good and this easy.”
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Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
