Anthony Edwards scored 38 points and Julius Randle logged 17 of his 25 in the fourth quarter as the Minnesota Timberwolves took down the New York Knicks 115-104 on Tuesday in Minneapolis.
Rudy Gobert added 11 points and 16 rebounds as the Timberwolves won for the 10th time in 12 games.
The Knicks played without starters Jalen Brunson (right ankle injury management) and OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness).
Karl-Anthony Towns got a warm reception from the Minnesota crowd that remembered him from his days with the Wolves, and he kept New York close with a game-high 40 points before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.
Tyler Kolek made his first NBA start for the Knicks, filling in for Brunson, and finished with career-high totals of 20 points and 11 rebounds to go with eight assists.
New York took just its third loss in 14 games.
Down 31-28 after one quarter, New York started to feel the absence of Brunson and Anunoby in the second. Minnesota opened the period with a 15-2 run that included three 3-pointers by Bones Hyland and a pair of baskets from close in by Gobert, creating a 16-point lead.
Towns refused to let the Knicks go away. He hit a jumper from the elbow, had a put-back for two more and made two free throws for a personal 6-0 run. Towns left the floor after being called for his third foul with 3:25 left in the half. He had 24 first-half points.
Minnesota ended the half with the last five points, a 3-pointer by Donte DiVincenzo and a tip-in by Gobert, to lead 58-52 at the break.
In the third quarter, New York took its first lead since the first on when Bridges made a layup after a nice pass from Kolek for a 69-67 advantage with 5:49 to go.
A few minutes later, Gobert and Josh Hart got tangled up on a rebound. Gobert swung his arm looking for a back tap after missing a short shot and hit Hart in the head. Hart went down and then pushed at Gobert’s legs, then rose and gave Gobert a quick two-handed shove. After a review, Hart was called for a flagrant foul and Gobert made both free throws to put Minnesota up 82-76.
Randle caught fire against his old team in the fourth quarter, at one point scoring 15 straight points for the Timberwolves and flexing for the crowd.
–Field Level Media
