Karl-Anthony Towns delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 28 points, 23 of which came in the first half, to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a commanding 113-92 win against the Orlando Magic during Tuesday night’s NBA action.
Towns’ exceptional play, combined with Rudy Gobert’s double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, secured the Western Conference-leading Timberwolves (26-10) a comfortable victory, even with a quieter night from star player Anthony Edwards.
Edwards, the team’s top scorer this season, contributed more as a facilitator in this game, setting up Towns for an opening 3-pointer that ignited the Timberwolves’ offense. Minnesota quickly established an 11-0 lead and maintained control throughout the game.
“I thought it was our best start of the season,” Gobert said. “The ball pressure, the focus, the energy, the urgency from the first play of the game was at a high level.”
Towns, reflecting on his performance, attributed his success to taking advantage of the opportunities the defense presented, particularly from beyond the arc. Gobert echoed the sentiment of a strong start, praising the team’s energy and focus from the outset.
“Tonight, I just took what the defense gave me, taking the three when it was open and just shooting it,” Towns said. “The first shot of the game was me in the corner, and (the defense) didn’t decide to come. (Edwards) made a great pass in the corner.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic Updates
The Timberwolves’ dominance was evident from the first quarter, where they led 33-16, partly due to the Magic’s struggles with shooting accuracy. Moritz Wagner led Orlando (21-16) with 21 points, followed by Jalen Suggs with 20 points and Paolo Banchero with 18, although Banchero faced challenges, shooting 8 for 22.
“Everyone did a great job of building the lead, sustaining the lead and just continuing to find a way to attack,” Towns said.
Orlando’s overall shooting percentage was just 35% for the game, a statistic Wagner attributed to a lack of energy, a crucial element for a team not known for its shooting prowess.
“We kind of lacked energy,” Wagner said. “That’s what we do, you know. We’re probably not the best shooting team in the league so we’ve got to create havoc. We’ve got to be the ones to bring the energy, the juice, and we didn’t really do that.”
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic Updates
Edwards, averaging 26.8 points per game, had a quieter night, hindered by early foul trouble and limited to only eight minutes in the first half. He finished the game with just six points, marking the first time he didn’t score in double figures this season.
Jaden McDaniels also made notable contributions for Minnesota with 15 points and nine rebounds, particularly in his defensive effort against Banchero, earning praise from coach Chris Finch.
Injury challenges for the Magic, missing players like Franz Wagner, Joe Ingles, Wendell Carter Jr., and Gary Harris, left them with a limited roster. Markelle Fultz played 13 minutes in his second game back from a knee injury.
NBA NEWS & SCORES: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves, Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic Updates
Towns’ scoring surge in the second quarter was instrumental in extending Minnesota’s lead, which reached 34 points in the second half. Orlando couldn’t reduce the deficit to under 17 points after halftime.
Looking ahead, the Timberwolves face the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night, while the Magic will take on the Miami Heat on Friday night.
