NEW YORK – To keep their playoff hopes alive, the Timberwolves are going to need to punch above their weight class, given the team they have on the floor without Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns.
They got in just enough licks against the Knicks on Monday night and rode a hot shooting night to a 140-134 victory at Madison Square Garden. They pulled it out despite the buzzsaw that was Julius Randle, who had a career-high 57 points. The Wolves need extraordinary things to happen without Edwards and Towns. They got one such night from Taurean Prince, who hit a career-high eight threes (making all eight of his attempts) for 35 points.
The Wolves also came up big when it mattered most, and went on an 8-0 run after the Knicks held a 131-129 lead with 2 minutes, 35 seconds to play. Mike Conley hit three free throws, Prince hit one of his threes and Jaden McDaniels came up with a steal of Randle plus two free throws.
With their two best scorers out, offense wasn’t the issue for the Wolves Monday, as they hit their first 10 shots of the night. That was the most consecutive made shots to begin a night in any NBA game this season. They shot 71% overall in the half.
But despite their hot shooting, the Wolves couldn’t blow out the Knicks early on.
That lead didn’t last in the third, when Randle turned Madison Square Garden into his own personal playground. He exploded for 26 in the quarter and the Knicks grabbed their first lead since the first quarter. The Wolves went into the fourth ahead 109-108, but the Wolves wouldn’t let this one turn out like so many others this season.