Despite Karl-Anthony Towns’ 62 points, the Timberwolves fell to the Hornets 128-125.
On Monday night, 18,244 spectators sat on the edge of their seats for nearly three hours at the downtown Minneapolis arena. Nobody fled the stadium or activated an alarm system when Karl-Anthony Towns ignited the Timberwolves’ home court.
Nevertheless, not even a fiery performance by Towns (62 points, which surpassed his franchise record) could avert the Wolves’ fourth-quarter collapse. The Hornets defeated Minnesota 128-125, while also leading 36-18 in the fourth quarter.
Towns recorded a 60% shooting percentage (21 of 35) and a career-high 10 made threes (on 15 attempts) in addition to eight rebounds. Nonetheless, he found it difficult to acknowledge his achievement in light of the outcome of the game.
Towns replied, “It’s difficult to view the game in that manner,” when questioned regarding his performance. “I was merely performing my duties; all I wanted was to win.” You desire to experience one of those evenings beginning with a victory.
Experiencing such a night following a loss is not exactly historic, or the like, to put it another way. By the end of that period, Towns had amassed 22 points from deep on a 4-for-4 mark. Towns scored six of those points from within the paint.
Towns initiated the game by promptly activating the trigger. The center exploded from the start, converting his initial five attempts and contributing to 74% of the squad’s first-quarter offense.
Towns scored four points for the Timberwolves on 2-for-10 shooting within the fourth quarter, as the visitors trailed 36-18.
With the game down by one point and Minnesota trailing, he misjudged a foul on a drive toward the basket and fell short of a three-point attempt with the game in regulation.
Brandon Miller contributed 27 points, while Miles Bridges tallied 28 for the Hornets. As Leaky Black approached the basket, he prevented Towns from obtaining the ball, thereby safeguarding the Hornets’ tenth victory for the season.
With 3:21 remaining, Charlotte took a permanent lead at 122-121 in P.J. Washington’s floater. LaMelo Ball contributed 18 points to the Charlotte Hornets, who entered Monday having lost seven of eight games as well as having the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference.
Towns accumulated 21 of 35 points on the floor, like 10 of 15 from three-point range, and now ranks among the Wolves’ top three scorers in their 35-year history.
With 12 seconds remaining, the Wolves attempted to isolate Towns with an isolation look, but Black blocked the forward’s layup attempt and converted two free throws at the opposing end.
A player has recorded at least 60 points in a loss for the twenty-first time in NBA history, with the assistance of Towns’ desperation three in the final seconds.
After missing one game due to a right ankle injury, Ball made his return. Before Saturday, when he participated in four consecutive contests after missing 20 straight, he was inactive for the Pelicans’ 97-89 loss to Philadelphia.
On Monday night, despite Karl-Anthony Towns’ franchise-record 62 points, 44 of which came in the first half, the Charlotte Hornets overcame an 18-point deficit to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves 128-125.
Towns surpassed his previous Minnesota record of 60, which also stood as his career high. However, in the fourth quarter, Towns only managed to score four points on 2-for-10 shooting while the Timberwolves were outscored 36-18.
Minnesota trailed by one point, and he believed he was fouled on a drive to the basket in the dying seconds; he was also unsuccessful on a three-point attempt with the game in regulation.
After the game, Timberwolves leader Chris Finch criticized his squad, describing their “absolutely revolting defense performance or immature basketball.” Finch continued by criticizing the Timberwolves’ reaction to Towns’ explosive start, stating that they ceased their pursuit of optimal play.
Towns, who finished the game with 21 points on 15 attempts from three-point range, ranked among the top three scorers in the Timberwolves’ 35-year history.
Towns finished the first half with 14 points on 17 attempts from the field and 8 from nine from three-point range as the Wanderers took a 69-64 lead. A half-high of eight 3-pointers fell two short of the NBA record.
With 53 points in the first half, James Thompson and Georgi Gervin jointly hold the NBA record.