The Knicks dropped their second straight home game on Friday night, as they lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116-99, at Madison Square Garden.
Here are the takeaways…
— Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t have a desired reunion with former Timberwolves teammates — he was ruled out for a second straight game due to a right thumb sprain. Towns, who suffered the injury in the Knicks’ loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday, is also dealing with a bone chip in the thumb, although the team said pregame that particular issue didn’t keep him out of Friday’s lineup.
— While the Timberwolves opened the game with two-made threes, it didn’t take long for Jalen Brunson to drain buckets of his own. He scored 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting before the first media timeout, and finished the opening quarter with 13. Brunson wasn’t the only sharpshooter, though — Michael Conley, filling in for an injured Donte DiVincenzo, added 10 first-quarter points on 4-of-5 shooting.
— Julius Randle, who received a warm ovation from The Garden crowd during lineup introductions, didn’t take his first shot until the 3:46 mark in the first. Much to the delight of Knicks fans, Randle’s attempt was an airball corner three, and the crowd collectively chuckled.
— Anthony Edwards started cold, missing his first six shots, but his teammates had no issue picking him up. The Timberwolves made six threes in the opening quarter — they entered Friday ranked fourth in the NBA in three percentage — and held a 28-21 lead after 12 minutes.
— Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, displeased with the defensive effort just one minute into the second quarter, burned a timeout after the Timberwolves bumped their lead to 10. The break in action sparked offense from both teams, and the Knicks’ first-half hero was Cam Payne, who unexpectedly scored 18 points in seven minutes off the bench.
— While both teams were exceptionally efficient from the perimeter in the first half, Minnesota tickled more twine. They shot a strong 13-of-21 from deep, 55 percent overall from the floor, and led 63-59 at halftime. As for New York, they shot a crisp 49 percent overall with 10 made threes and only committed four fouls — three were issued to Josh Hart.
— The third quarter began without an inbound pass… technically. When the second-quarter buzzer sounded, Edwards slammed the ball in frustration and was charged with a technical foul. So, the mental error granted Brunson a free throw before the second-half clock started.
— The Knicks suffered an injury scare midway through the third, when Hart accidentally collided with Jericho Sims in the paint following a Timberwolves basket. After a few minutes with the trainer inside the locker room, Hart returned to the bench and checked back in. It appeared that he hurt his left shoulder.
— While the third quarter was low-scoring, the Knicks scored one more point than the Timberwolves and trailed 81-78 through 36 minutes. Before the fourth quarter began, The Garden crowd erupted in celebration for a fan who won a car by making a half-court shot.
— There was no questioning the heart from… Hart. Still bothered by an apparent shoulder injury, he forced a turnover and attacked in transition for a two-handed slam. When he landed, he was seen grabbing at his shoulder.
— Midway through the fourth, the Knicks’ offense went cold while the Timberwolves remained hot. A three from Edwards with 5:40 left bumped their lead to a game-high 13 points, and the hill was just too steep for the Knicks to climb. Minnesota led by 17 before the final buzzer sounded, and held New York to just 40 second-half points.
— Minnesota certainly lived up to its reputation as one of the league’s best three-point shooting teams. They finished the game with a whopping 22 threes, and big man Naz Reid happened to shoot a perfect 6-of-6 from three off the bench. Edwards led the team with eight threes, and six different players hit from beyond the arc.
— Despite a strong first half, Payne didn’t see much second-half action. He didn’t check in until the 1:59 mark in the third and failed to score in six second-half minutes. Sims, replacing Towns in the starting lineup, didn’t score in 19 minutes of action. Knicks wingers OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges combined for 33 points on 11-of-27 shooting.
— Randle wasn’t much of a scorer in his return to The Garden — he was a facilitator. He contributed eight points with seven rebounds and six assists. The Knicks shot 39 percent overall, while the Timberwolves shot 53 percent. What made the difference? Minnesota made eight more threes for 24 points.
Game MVP: Anthony Edwards
Edwards lived up to his January points average (30.3), finishing the game with 36 on 12-of-21 shooting with 13 rebounds and seven assists. It was the former first-overall pick’s 11th game with 30-plus points this season.
Highlights
What’s next
The Knicks (27-16) will face the Atlanta Hawks in a Monday matinee (3 p.m. tip) at The Garden, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
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