Julius Randle’s 57 pts career night spoiled in tough loss to T’Wolves

It was a night for the ages at Madison Square Garden, but unfortunately for the Knicks faithful, it didn’t end the way they wanted it to. In a high-scoring affair, the Knicks fell to the Timberwolves 140-134 in one of the most heart-breaking losses of the season.

The story of the night was undoubtedly Julius Randle, who put on a show for the ages with a career-high 57 points. Randle was absolutely unstoppable, shooting a scorching 19-29 from the field, including 8-14 from beyond the arc. His third quarter explosion, where he poured in 26 points, brought the Knicks back into the game after trailing by as many as 17.

Despite Randle’s heroics, it was the Timberwolves who came out on top in the end. The Knicks led by as many as 5 with under 5 minutes left and 131-129 with 2:35 remaining, but they just couldn’t hold on. They allowed a whopping 79 points in the first half, including 42 in the first quarter alone, and they just couldn’t get enough stops down the stretch.

“I’m such a results-driven person, I try to focus on process a little bit more, and are we taking the necessary steps to get better and build as a team.”

– Julius Randle

Jalen Brunson finished with 23 points and 10 assists, while Immanuel Quickley chipped in 19 off the bench.

Despite the loss, Knicks fans will take solace in the fact that they witnessed history tonight. Randle became the first Knick to score 50 or more points in a game since Carmelo Anthony’s 62-point performance in 2014. RJ Barrett added 13 points, but it was Randle who stole the show.

For the other side, Taurean Prince had a season night of his own, dropping 35 points and going a perfect 8-8 from long distance. Mike Conley added 24 points, while Jaden McDaniels chipped in 18. The Wolves played without two of their best players, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards, sidelined with injuries.

Up-Next: The Knicks (42-31) will travel down south to Florinda to take on the Miami Heat (39-34) on Wednesday from 7:30 pm.