SAN ANTONIO — Karl-Anthony Towns delivered one of the most prolific performances by an NBA center in more than two decades.
And he finished with a nice round number, too.
Towns had a team-record 60 points — the most scored in the NBA this season — as the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 149-139 on Monday night.
“I told Coach [Chris Finch] before the game, ‘Hey listen, we need this win. I’ll do whatever it takes,'” Towns said. “‘If I need to play 44, 48 minutes, I’ll get it done.’ That was kind of the mindset I came in [with]. I had to dominate. I had to be my best.”
He certainly was.
Towns shot 19-for-31 overall, grabbed 17 rebounds and finished 7-for-11 on 3s in surpassing his previous career best of 56 points against the Atlanta Hawks on March 28, 2018 — which had been the franchise mark. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and Hawks guard Trae Young previously shared league-high honors this season with 56 points.
Minnesota’s 7-foot All-Star capped his dazzling outburst by draining a 3-pointer with 1:39 remaining, shortly after making one of two free throws to reach 57 points.
Towns is the first player in NBA history to reach the benchmarks of 60 points, 15 rebounds and 60% 3-point shooting in a game.
He became the first NBA center with a 60-point game since Shaquille O’Neal had 61 for the Lakers on March 6, 2000 — O’Neal’s birthday. Overall, Towns is the fifth center with a 60-point game, joining O’Neal, David Robinson, Wilt Chamberlain and George Mikan.
Towns also became the first No. 1 overall pick to score 60 since James’ only career 60-point performance in 2014.
“The whole team was happy,” said Timberwolves point guard D’Angelo Russell, who had 19 points. “Everybody was being selfless about it. I think that was more of what I appreciated. The performance was amazing, but everybody wanted to see it,…
Source : espn
