Karl-Anthony Towns scores NBA-best 60 points, 17 rebounds as Minnesota Timberwolves beat San Antonio Spurs
SAN ANTONIO – The town of Karl-Anthony delivered one of the most prolific performances by an NBA center in more than two decades.
And he also finished with a nice round number.
Towns had a team-wide record of 60 points – the most points scored in the NBA this season – as Minnesota Timberwolves Last longer San Antonio Spurs 149-139 on Monday night.
“I told Coach [Chris Finch] before the game, ‘Listen, we need to win. I’ll do whatever it takes,” Towns said. “If I need to play 44, 48 minutes, I’m done.” That’s the kind of thinking I went into [with]. I had to dominate. I had to be my best. “
He certainly is.
Towns shot a total of 19 for 31, won 17 rebounds and finished 7 to 11 in 3 seconds surpassing his previous career best of 56 points. Atlanta Hawks on March 28, 2018 – it’s a franchise mark. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Hawks protect Trae Young previously shared the top title this season with 56 points.
Minnesota’s 7-foot-tall All-Star capped his dazzling performance by consuming a 3-pointer with 1:39 remaining, shortly after taking one of two free throws to hit 57 points. .
Towns was the first player in NBA history to hit the standards of 60 points, 15 rebounds and 60% 3-pointers in a single game.
He became the first NBA center to have a 60-point game since Shaquille O’Neal had 61 for the Lakers on March 6, 2000 – O’Neal’s birthday. Overall, Towns were fifth center with a 60-point tie, starring O’Neal, David Robinson, Wilt Chamberlain and George Mikan.
Towns also became the first #1 overall pick to score 60 since a career-only 60-point performance in 2014.
“The whole team is very happy,” defending the Timberwolves’ view said D’Angelo Russell, who had 19 points. “Everybody was selfless about it. I think that’s what I appreciated most. The performance was amazing, but people wanted to see it too.”
Minnesota is 1/2 game less than Denver Nuggets for sixth place in the Western Conference playoff chase.
San Antonio has lost two games in a row since Gregg Popovich got his 1,336th career win to become the winning coach in NBA history. Spurs fell seven out of nine overall.
Keldon Johnson got 34 points for San Antonio. Dejounte Murray 30 extra points and 12 assists, and Lonnie Walker IV scored 22.
The teams combined for 148 points in the first half, scoring 58/100 while playing at a frantic pace. San Antonio opened the game 4 to 5 with three pointers, and Minnesota shot 75% away in the first seven minutes.
Towns had 14 points and five rebounds playing the whole first quarter with Jakob Poeltl and Zach Collins.
“Karl is amazing,” Popovich said. “He drives it, he shoots it – he always plays at his best. He’s a great player. It’s not a surprise, but tonight he was special.”
The town had 32 points in the third quarter, the fourth most in a single quarter in the past 25 seasons.
“They’re selling to protect the rims with everything else we’re trying to do,” says Finch. “He had the game, and they didn’t have an answer for him. We definitely needed it, and he stepped up.”
The game gets fun in the third season, as the Minnesota guard Patrick Beverley entangled with Murray and Collins over separate properties. The skirmishes fueled a 16-7 victory for the Wolves, giving them a 112-99 lead with 2:30 in the round remaining.
The town had 56 points in the first three periods. He sat down with 6:34 left shortly after fouling his fourth and fifth within 45 seconds, but returned to the ring with three minutes remaining to set the pinnacle of his career.
Towns says he asked Finch what he wanted to do and the coach told him to “get to 60”.
“So I just went out there, trying to be really aggressive,” Towns said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
