The New York Knicks lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves, despite a career-high 57-point performance by Julius Randle. Randle’s impressive dominance helped the Knicks come back into the game, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win. The difference in the game was a lack of intensity on the defensive end, as the Timberwolves were able to get to the rim almost at will. The Knicks’ frustration culminated in Randle receiving a technical foul, after which he expressed disappointment that he couldn’t make the play he wanted. Despite Randle’s historic feat, the Knicks’ inability to come up with a win left the locker room’s mood dampened. In the final 30 seconds of the game, the Knicks were unable to get a defensive stop, ultimately losing the game due to a Taurean Prince dunk.
Knicks’ Julius Randle sets career-high score in a disappointing loss to Timberwolves
Julius Randle had an outstanding performance on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, scoring a career-high of 57 points, but unfortunately, it was not enough to save the New York Knicks from a 140-134 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Randle’s impressive dominance was evident throughout the first three quarters, but it wasn’t enough to bring the Knicks to victory. The Knicks trailed by as much as 17 points in a defenseless showcase, but Randle helped to bring the team back into the game by pouring in a team-record 26 points in the third quarter. Despite his valiant efforts, he only scored five points in the fourth quarter, and his team fell short of a win.
“He played so well,” Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said. “He brought us back, he played unbelievable. We just got to be better as a team to help him make that career night feel like something special. But when you lose that, kind of just chops all the feeling out of everything.”
Randle shot an impressive 19-for-29 from the field and 8-for-14 from 3-point range. He also made 11 of 13 attempts from the free throw line. His 52 points after three quarters were on pace to break Carmelo Anthony’s franchise-record 62 points, which he scored in a game against the Charlotte Bobcats in January 2014. Anthony’s 62 points also represent the most points scored in a game at Madison Square Garden since 1968. Following Anthony, James Harden (2019) and Kobe Bryant (2009) have scored 61 points each.
Bernard King was the only other Knicks player besides Anthony to score over 60 points, doing so on December 25, 1984, against the New Jersey Nets. Randle is thrilled to join Anthony and King in the Madison Square Garden scoring list, saying that they are “legends in this game” and “pioneers, specifically for this organization, who laid the groundwork and led the way for players like myself to come behind them, be able to play the game I love. Be able to grind, put on that Knicks jersey with pride.”
Despite Randle’s impressive performance, the difference for the Knicks on Monday night was a lack of intensity on the defensive end. The Timberwolves were able to get to the rim almost at will throughout the game, shooting 61.4% from the field. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau acknowledged Randle’s impressive performance and lamented the loss, saying, “It’s a shame to waste a performance like that.”
In conclusion, Julius Randle’s impressive career-high 57 points were not enough to lead the Knicks to a win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, his performance was a historic feat, and he joins the ranks of other Knicks legends such as Carmelo Anthony and Bernard King.
Knicks fall short in final seconds, Randle frustrated
In the final 30 seconds of the game against the Timberwolves, the Knicks were unable to get a defensive stop, ultimately losing the game due to a Taurean Prince dunk. The frustration that had been building throughout the night culminated in Julius Randle receiving a technical foul and directing a few more words at referee Eric Lewis after the game. Randle acknowledged that the technical was due to his frustration with being unable to make the play he wanted. Despite Randle’s impressive career-high performance, the fact that the Knicks couldn’t come up with the win left the mood in the locker room dampened.
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