MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – Karl-Anthony Towns showcased an extraordinary performance, scoring a franchise-record 62 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night. However, the Charlotte Hornets shocked the Timberwolves by erasing an 18-point deficit and securing a 128-125 victory.
Towns had an exceptional first half, scoring 44 points. But in the fourth quarter, he struggled, managing only four points on 2-for-10 shooting. The Timberwolves were outscored 36-18 in the final period, leading to their defeat. Towns believed he was fouled on a drive to the basket during the closing moments and missed a crucial 3-point attempt on the final possession.
Despite his historic individual performance, Towns expressed disappointment in the loss, stating, “Having a night like that on a loss doesn’t feel very good or historic.”
Miles Bridges led the Hornets with 28 points, and Brandon Miller contributed 27 points. Leaky Black’s steal against Towns prevented a potential game-winning play and secured the Hornets’ 10th victory of the season.
Charlotte took the lead for good at 122-121 after P.J. Washington’s floater with 3:21 remaining. LaMelo Ball added 18 points to the Hornets’ score. The team had lost seven of their past eight games and possessed one of the Eastern Conference’s worst records before Monday’s win.
Towns finished the game with a remarkable 62 points, shooting 21 for 35 from the field and making 10 of 15 attempts from beyond the arc. He now owns the top three scoring outputs in the Timberwolves’ 35-year history. Additionally, Towns became the first player in NBA history to achieve double-digit figures in 3-pointers, 2-pointers, and free throws in a single game.
While Bridges acknowledged Towns’ outstanding performance, he emphasized the team’s victory. He said, “There’s not too much you can do with a 7-footer that can shoot the ball as good as he does…KAT is a great player, but it was our night.”
Towns joins teammate Anthony Edwards and former teammate Malik Beasley as the only Timberwolves players to have hit 10 or more 3-pointers in a single game. However, Towns’ driving layup attempt in the final seconds was blocked by Black, sealing the Timberwolves’ loss.
Towns’ desperation 3-pointer in the last second marked the 21st occasion in NBA history that a player scored 60 or more points in a losing effort. Despite his personal achievements, Towns was focused on winning rather than individual accolades. He stressed the importance of securing victories and maintaining their position as the top team in the Western Conference.
The Timberwolves’ coach, Chris Finch, expressed disappointment in the team’s defensive performance and called it an “absolute disgusting performance of defense and immature basketball.”
In other news, LaMelo Ball returned to the court after missing a game due to a sore ankle. He contributed 18 points and 13 assists to the Hornets’ victory. Ball had previously been sidelined for 20 games before playing in four consecutive games.
Overall, despite Towns’ historic scoring feat, the Timberwolves’ disappointment was evident as they fell short against the resilient Hornets.