Karl-Anthony Towns scores 40 as shorthanded Knicks lose to Wolves, 114-104

Karl-Anthony Towns threw the first punch, but Julius Randle had the last laugh.

The two players clashed when the Knicks traveled to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves on Tuesday. Towns, returning to Minneapolis for the second time since the deal that sent him to New York for Randle and Donte DiVincenzo two summers ago, erupted for 24 points in the first half and finished with 40 points and 13 rebounds on 14-of-24 shooting from the field.

But Randle put the finishing touches on Minnesota’s 115-104 win over the Knicks on Tuesday. The former Knicks All-Star finished with 25 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field. Seventeen of Randle’s 25 points came in the fourth quarter, and the star who came to New York and resurrected the Knicks in the summer of 2019 flexed his arms on Towns and the Knicks bench after several baskets late in the final period, putting the Knicks away for their ninth loss in 29 games this season.

Randle is now averaging 21.7 points, six rebounds and four assists against the Knicks since the trade, and DiVincenzo finished with 11 points, eight assists and three 3s on seven attempts against his former team.

For the Knicks, the loss was expected given who was listed on the injury report.

Knicks All-Star guard and team captain Jalen Brunson introduced the players in street clothes dealing with a right ankle injury, and OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness) and Guerschon Yabusele (illness) joined Miles McBride (left ankle sprain) and Landry Shamet (right shoulder sprain), who missed significant time with their injuries.

With several key contributors on the board, head coach Mike Brown started second-year guard Tyler Kolek at point guard and reinserted Mitchell Robinson into the first unit.

Kolek responded with the best game of his young career: 20 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three steals on 9-of-22 shooting from the field.

While Kolek’s night was refreshing, Towns’ was a necessity. He was coming off a nightmare performance, recording just two points and six rebounds on 1-of-6 shooting from the field in the Knicks’ win over the Miami Heat on Sunday. Towns averaged just 16.8 points per game over his last six games Tuesday at Minnesota.

So a trip down memory lane was just what the doctor ordered: Towns had 32 points, 20 rebounds and six assists on 10-of-12 shooting from the field in his first game in Minnesota on December 19, 2024.

But the Knicks got almost nothing from their depleted bench: Jordan Clarkson scored 10 points on 3-of-11 shooting from the field, and Ariel Hukporti and rookie Mohamed Diawara combined to score the Knicks’ other five bench points. The Wolves won the second unit margin despite scoring just 22 points from their reserves.

Additionally, Josh Hart had an emotional game and was ruled a flagrant foul after hitting the leg of Wolves center Rudy Gobert, a moment quickly followed by Hart shoving the former four-time Defensive Player of the Year. Gobert made both free throws with less than 90 seconds left in the third quarter to give the Wolves an 82-76 lead.

Wolves star Anthony Edwards scored 38 points on 15-of-27 shooting from the field and 4-of-10 three-pointers to go with four steals. Mikal Bridges finished with 15 points on 7-of-16 shooting from the field.

The Knicks now return home, where they are 14-2 this season, to host the Cleveland Cavaliers in a Christmas Day matinee game at Madison Square Garden.