Knicks struggle offensively without Karl-Anthony Towns, lose to Timberwolves
From left, Precious Achiuwa, OG Anunoby oand Jalen Brunson of the Knicks look on during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
On paper a few days ago, it might have seemed as if this game would be a showcase for the trade, Karl-Anthony Towns against Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, the three pieces in the huge deal consummated at the start of training camp that reshaped the Knicks and Timberwolves.
But a day before the game, the Timberwolves’ DiVincenzo was ruled out with a sprained left big toe, and shortly before game time Friday night, Towns was scratched from the Knicks’ lineup, still suffering the effects of the right thumb injury he suffered Monday, when he sprained the thumb and chipped a bone in the joint.
And Randle? Well, he played, but for most of the night, he contributed little more than the two in street clothes.
What the game actually showed was just how important Towns is to the Knicks — an unfortunate way to say that they won the trade. Without Towns, the Knicks could not find offense, falling to the Timberwolves, 116-99, at Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks have had their starting lineup intact much of the season, but while OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges have not missed a game and Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson have sat out one each, the Knicks are 2-3 without Towns, who is averaging 25.4 points and 13.9 rebounds.
Brunson did what he could to carry the team in Towns’ absence, scoring 26 points. The Knicks (27-16) also got an unexpected first-half boost from Cam Payne, who scored all 18 of his points in a span of 4:17.
Minnesota still had its best player, Anthony Edwards, who had 36 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Naz Reid delivered in huge spots, connecting on all six of his three-point attempts and finishing with 23 points. Randle had eight points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Timberwolves (22-19), who shot 22-for-40 from three-point range to the Knicks’ 14-for-34.
The Knicks kept it close for three quarters but fell apart in the fourth. They were outscored 35-21, with much of the damage coming from behind the arc. The Timberwolves were 6-for-8 and the Knicks were 2-for-9.
“They got out in transition and obviously we weren’t able to score like we wanted to,” Brunson said. “But I think they set the tone from the jump by getting second-chance points and offensive rebounds and just the physicality. So credit them for bringing physicality to the game and put us on our heels. But we didn’t sustain it for four quarters.
“I say this all the time: Once a player gets confidence, it’s hard to slow them down, especially at this level, so we got to establish our physicality and presence early and it’s on us.”
With the Knicks already shorthanded, Hart had to retreat to the locker room in the third quarter after he was shoved from behind into teammate Jericho Sims. He returned shortly after being examined.
“We just gotta adjust and just play together,” Mikal Bridges said. “It’s tough missing our guys, but we can play better.”
There were no video tributes for Randle and DiVincenzo this time — the Knicks honored them in the preseason meeting at the Garden and not again — and no emotional news conferences like the one Towns held when he returned to Minnesota last month.
“The thing is, it’s actually the third time we played now,” Tom Thibodeau said. “And as time goes on, there’s always going to be that connection — it’s the reality of our league. Like I said, every night, there’s something for somebody. Just stay focused on getting ready to play. But that’s part of his story, part of Julius’ story, part of Donte’s, and that’s what makes the league what it is.”
Without Towns, the Knicks had to turn elsewhere for their offense, and in the first half, it was almost exclusively from their point guards. Brunson scored 13 of the Knicks’ first 16 points, and when he went to the bench, Payne took over. He beat the first-quarter buzzer with a runner in the lane and scored 11 points in the first 2:06 of the second quarter, helped by three straight three-pointers in a span of 46 seconds.
But the Knicks trailed most of the game. They pulled even late in the third quarter but trailed 81-78 heading to the fourth as Reid drained another three-point field goal.
Minnesota stretched the lead to 90-81 on a three-pointer by Nickeil Alexander-Walker less than three minutes into the fourth before the Knicks began to chip away. Brunson scored inside and Hart had a breakaway dunk off a steal. Brunson scored again on a turnaround jumper, closing the gap to 91-87.
But a three-pointer by Jaden McDaniels and a three-point play off a lightning-quick drive and dunk by Edwards upped the lead to 97-89. Edwards fed Rudy Gobert for a lob dunk and the lead was 10 again midway through the fourth quarter. Edwards then drained a three and the Timberwolves had their largest lead of the night.
“We didn’t cover the line like we needed to, got beat off the dribble,” Thibodeau said. “Didn’t start the game the way we needed to. We gave up second shots, the three-point line, the rebounding probably hurt us. Edwards is a tough cover, but you have to do more than one thing, have the ability to get in and get out and have an awareness with Naz Reid that open. If we leave him open, he’s going to make those.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
