NBA: Knicks use huge first half to slide past Timberwolves
Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks reacts after a play in the third quarter of the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Target Center on November 7, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images/AFP
Julius Randle scored a season-high 31 points, and the New York Knicks rode the cushion from a 76-point first half to down the Minnesota Timberwolves 120-107 Monday in Minneapolis.
Randle’s best offensive performance of the season stemmed from a first half in which he hit six 3-pointers — accounting for all of his made field goals before intermission — to pace a torrid Knicks offense.
Article continues after this advertisementNew York scored 38 points in each of the first two quarters, building a 24-point lead by the break.
Jalen Brunson and RJ Barrett finished with 23 and 22 points, respectively, with Barrett’s and-one play to open the second half extending New York’s advantage to a game-high 27 points. Barrett scored 13 points after halftime.
Everything was falling tn in Minnesota ☔️
🎥 @SociosUSA pic.twitter.com/hS5gldL3MJ
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 8, 2022
Minnesota outscored New York in both the third and fourth quarters, but never could cut the deficit to any fewer than the final 13-point margin.
Karl-Anthony Towns led Minnesota with 25 points on 9-of-12 shooting from the floor, but the backcourt duo of D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards combined to shoot just 9 of 26 from the field.
Edwards finished 1-for-7 from 3-point range for his 16-point night. Russell shot 4 of 10 from beyond the arc, but was one of only two Timberwolves to make more than one 3-pointer.
Jaylen Nowell shot 2 of 3 from deep and finished with eight points off the bench.
The Knicks’ 19-for-48 performance from outside made the difference against Minnesota’s dismal 11-of-41 shooting. Randle finished 8-for-13 from downtown, while Obi Toppin came off the bench to hit 3 of 8.
Toppin finished with 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Randle led the Knicks with eight rebounds, and Brunson dished eight assists in the win.
Towns grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds and made seven assists. Russell passed for eight assists in the loss, as Minnesota dropped the fourth decision in its last five outings.
