Knicks get overwhelmed in third quarter, drop 117-100 to Timberwolves

The Knicks were outscored 35-19 in the third quarter and were unable to respond, dropping the last game of the road trip, 117-100 in Minnesota last night.

Jalen Brunson scored a game high 25pts, Julius Randle had 21 and 14 rebounds while RJ Barrett finished with 14 pts and 7 boards on a 4-13 shooting.

“I think honestly they just beat us to the punch tonight in the second half, and we didn’t react as fast as we could. (…) We just gotta react better. That third quarter, we gotta be ready to go.”

– Jalen Brunson

The Wolves, led by Anthony Edwards with 23 points and 10 rebounds, started the second half with an 11-0 run and set their largest lead with 46 seconds to play in the third quarter, when they made it 93-71 behind Troy Brian Jr’s three pointer.

Despite trailing by only two points at halftime, the Knicks found it difficult to counter the Wolves’ dominant third-quarter display.

Karl-Anthony Towns, a player frequently rumored in connection with potential Knicks trades, demonstrated his offensive prowess by contributing 20 points for the Wolves, who currently hold a leading position in the competitive Western Conference with a 10-3 record

While the Knicks managed to secure three wins during the five-game road trip, their struggle against teams with winning records is evident, holding a 1-5 record in such matchups.

Up-next: The Knicks (8-6) return at MSG on Friday from 7:30 pm to take on the Heat (9-5) in a game that counts for the newly In-Season Tournament