Karl-Anthony Towns makes statement in return as Knicks blow out Wolves

Towns finished with 32 points, 20 rebounds and six assists in his first game back at Target Center.

New York Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns (32) works around Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle (30) in the first quarter at Target Center in Minneapolis on Dec. 19, 2024. / Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Timberwolves fans gave Karl-Anthony Towns a warm welcome back to Target Center in Minneapolis Thursday night, giving him a loud round of applause following a tribute video played during the New York Knicks' pregame introductions.

The love for Towns was so strong among the sold-out Target Center crowd that they even cheered when he made his first 3-pointer of the game in the first quarter. But the mood began to sour after a horrendous start to the second quarter from the Wolves and cheers turned into boos. The boos weren't directed at Towns, but at the local basketball club, though there was likely a feeling of dread when Towns touched the ball as he put together a heater in a 133-107 Knicks blowout.

Towns put on a show in the arena where he spent the first nine seasons of his career. He was the driving force for the Knicks (17-10), who took complete control when they opened the second quarter on a 26-2 run. Towns scored the final six points of that flurry when he hit a 3 before getting to the paint for a layup, drawing a foul and hitting the free throw.

"They kicked our ass in every department, whether it be offense, defense transition, on the glass," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said.

Towns scored 19 points in a second quarter in which the Wolves (14-12) were outscored 41-18. He had 22 points by the halftime break and his Knicks led 73-51 by then. They might as well have called the game by that point. It didn't get closer.

Towns continued to do his thing, though. He nearly finished with a triple-double, and might have gotten one had he not been subbed off early in the fourth quarter with the game already well in hand. The final stat line for Towns was 32 points on 10-for-12 shooting, including 5 for 5 from 3, 20 rebounds, six assists, a pair of steals and a plus-minus of plus-31.

"He was outstanding tonight," Finch said of Towns.

Towns differed to his teammates, and he did get plenty of help from Mikal Bridges, who finished with 29 points, six assists and six rebounds. Miles McBride hit four 3s and scored 16 off the bench. Jalen Brunson had 14 points and seven assists.

It didn't all start horribly for the Wolves, who led 33-32 after 12 minutes as Julius Randle poured in 15 points in the opening quarter against his former team. But when Randle subbed out and the lineup of Donte DiVincenzo, Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, Rob Dillingham and Nickeil Alexander-Walker came out to open the second, it all started to fall apart.

The deficit grew and grew until Finch emptied his bench with 10 minutes, 34 seconds still to play in the fourth quarter.

Randle finished with 24 points, five rebounds and three assists. Anthony Edwards had 17 points and seven assists. But Gobert and Mike Conley only scored three points apiece. McDaniels scored eight in the first quarter and none after that.

As Finch said bluntly, the Wolves were dominated in every facet. They were outrebounded 57-37. They were outscored in the paint 54-48. And the Knicks had 14 second-chance points to just five for Minnesota. Towns was the Knicks' engine.

Not much was working for the Wolves Thursday night. Plenty was working for the Knicks and Towns, who looked motivated from the jump in his return to Target Center. What was the most important part of the night for Towns?

"I'm just happy we got a win," he said.