Timberwolves at Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns once again got the better of the individual matchup with fellow 2015 top-5 pick Kristaps Porzingis on Wednesday, but it was Porzingis and the New York Knicks going home with the win. Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves will try to even things up when they visit the Knicks on Friday to close out the home-and-home set.
Towns exploded for a career-high 47 points and 18 rebounds at home on Wednesday but Carmelo Anthony buried the game-winning jumper with 2.3 seconds left to give New York a 106-104 triumph. Porzingis finished with 29 points on 11-of-20 shooting and eight rebounds but had no problem with the veteran taking over at the end. "I think it was a good show for everybody," Porzingis told reporters. "What's important is we got the win at the end." The loss was the third straight and the sixth in the last seven games for Minnesota, which will play a back-to-back on the road this weekend with a stop at Charlotte on Saturday.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), MSG (New York)
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (5-13): Towns' monster game included a pair of tying free throws before Anthony's game-winner, but he was still unhappy with his performance. "I had miscues where I let things slide," Towns told reporters. "I missed free throws, missed some rebounds, missed some shots I should have made. I've got to do more." Towns ended up 17-of-20 from the free-throw line and 15-of-22 from the floor while posting his 10th double-double.
ABOUT THE KNICKS (9-9): Anthony heard cries from fans and media that the offense should run through Porzingis in the first month of the season, and he did not do much to quiet those voices while going 4-of-15 in the first 47 minutes on Wednesday. But Anthony, who failed to reach 20 points in any of the last three games and finished with 14 in the win, still got the shot when it mattered. "He made the shot at the end," New York coach Jeff Hornacek told reporters. "Just the confidence in Carmelo being a 10-time All-Star. That's what those guys do."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Knicks C Joakim Noah (ankle) sat out Wednesday's meeting and is questionable for Friday.
2. Minnesota PF Nemanja Bjelica is 4-of-18 from 3-point range in the last five games.
3. Knicks SF Mindaugas Kuzminskas went 4-of-5 from 3-point range on Wednesday in 20 minutes off the bench.