Karl-Anthony Towns vs. Knicks: Stats, Highlights and Twitter Reaction
The Minnesota Timberwolves may have lost to the New York Knicks, 106-104, on Wednesday night at Target Center, but Karl-Anthony Towns put on a show for the ages in a marquee matchup against Kristaps Porzingis.
Over the course of 42 minutes, Towns piled up a career-high 47 points (15-of-22 shooting), 18 rebounds and three blocks. According to the NBA on ESPN, the only players younger than Towns to record at least 45 points and 15 boards in a game over the past 30 seasons are Kevin Durant and Shaquille O'Neal.
Towns also joined New Orleans Pelicans big man Anthony Davis to be the only players to crack 45 points and 15 boards in a game this season, and Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari made sure to let the world know:
SportsCenter on Twitter provided another fascinating statistical tidbit regarding Towns' breakout showcase:
Rapper Joe Budden joked that the Knicks entered Wednesday night's matchup with the Timberwolves ill-prepared to combat one of the league's ascendant talents:
"It was a monster game," Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau said, per the Pioneer-Press' Jace Frederick. "It's unfortunate that we couldn't pull out the win."
Beyond the basic box score numbers, Towns was a statistical maven in the advanced analytics department. According to NBA.com's player-tracking data, Towns shot 10-of-12 on contested shots in the loss—a mark that compared favorably to his 5-of-10 shooting display on uncontested field-goal attempts.
And on a night when he rejected three shots, Towns held Knicks players to 40 percent shooting when he operated as the primary defender.
However, Towns wasn't entirely satisfied with his effort even though he flirted with a nearly unprecedented line of 50 points and 20 rebounds.
"I had miscues where I let things slide away," he said, per Frederick. "I missed three free throws, missed some rebounds, missed some shots I should have made. I've got to do more. I've got to do more. It's one of those nights."
That said, Towns did not receive much help when he was forced to the bench for brief stints, as Vice Sports' Jared Dubin pointed out:
Mired in a three-game losing streak, the Timberwolves will attempt to snap out of things and provide Towns with reinforcements when they travel to New York for the second half of their home-and-home series with the Knicks on Friday.
That said, a Minnesota team that's 2-7 on the road this season could have a hard time solving a Knicks squad that has tallied seven of its nine wins this season at home.
Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless noted otherwise.
