Karl-Anthony Towns had an incredible night, setting a new franchise record by scoring 62 points, with a staggering 44 points in the first half. Despite his outstanding performance, the Charlotte Hornets managed to overcome an 18-point deficit, stunning the Minnesota Timberwolves with a 128-125 victory on Monday night.
Towns surpassed his previous career best of 60 points, which also stood as the Minnesota record. However, his brilliance in the first half was overshadowed by a challenging fourth quarter. Towns could only muster four points on 2-for-10 shooting during this crucial period, where the Timberwolves were outscored 36-18. His attempt to drive to the basket in the closing seconds was met with a dispute over a foul, and he fell short on a 3-point attempt in the final possession.
Expressing his frustration, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch criticized the team’s defensive performance and deemed their basketball as “absolute disgusting” and “immature.” He particularly lamented the team’s failure to continue making the right plays despite Towns’ hot start.
While Towns finished the game 21-for-35 from the floor, including an impressive 10-for-15 from beyond the arc, he couldn’t secure a victory for the Wolves. This marked Towns owning the top three scoring outputs in the franchise’s 35-year history.
Despite the historic individual performance, Towns admitted that achieving such a feat in a loss was disappointing. He emphasized the team’s need to focus on winning games, especially considering their position as the top team in the Western Conference.
In a crucial moment with 12 seconds left, Towns attempted a driving layup, only to have it blocked by Leaky Black, who then sealed the Hornets’ victory with a pair of free throws at the other end. Towns’ last-second desperation 3-pointer ensured that this remarkable scoring display became the 21st instance in NBA history where a player scored 60 or more points in a losing effort.
Reflecting on the loss, Towns dismissed any silver lining to his personal achievement, emphasizing the team’s priority of securing victories rather than individual accolades.
The first half showcased Towns’ exceptional shooting, going 14-for-17 from the field and 8-of-9 from 3-point range, helping the Wolves take a 69-64 lead. Although he fell short of the NBA record for points in a first half, Towns’ performance was nothing short of extraordinary.
Despite Towns’ historic night, Joel Embiid’s 70-point performance for the Philadelphia 76ers against the San Antonio Spurs stole the spotlight. Towns and Embiid joined the rare company of NBA players who each scored at least 60 points on the same day, becoming the first pair since David Thompson and George Gervin achieved the feat in 1978.
