Karl-Anthony Towns dazzles in Minnesota as the Knicks roll

MINNEAPOLIS — Karl-Anthony Towns arrived at Target Center Thursday morning before the rest of his New York Knicks teammates. He said he wanted to take some time for himself and reminisce about his first nine seasons in Minnesota.

Being back in the city where he was drafted gave Towns a “warm feeling,” but he said it still didn’t mask how strange it was for him to enter the arena he once called home as a visiting player for the first time.

“Personally, this game wasn’t just another game,” Towns said. “And if anyone has told you otherwise, it’s a lie.”

In his first game back in Minnesota, Towns excelled. He scored 32 points and knocked down 10 of his 12 shot attempts and added 20 rebounds to lead New York to a 133-107 blowout victory over Minnesota.

Towns and the Knicks outscored the Wolves 41-18 in the second quarter, giving New York a 22-point halftime lead it would never relinquish. Mikal Bridges added 29 points and Jalen Brunson had 14 points with seven assists.

But the focus of the night was on Towns. Even in defeat, his former Wolves team-mate Anthony Edwards admitted he was happy for him.

“Get traded, come back and beat your team by 30 — I mean, that’s all you dream about,” Edwards said. “I’m upset that we lost, but inside I’m super happy for him. He’s my dog.”

The Wolves and Knicks pulled off a big deal the weekend before the start of training camp, sending Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. The trade was a shock to Towns, who had spent his entire career in Minnesota, and especially with the Wolves fresh off an appearance in the Western Conference finals.

For his return Thursday night, the Wolves played a video tribute to Towns during pregame introductions that highlighted his playing career, then another video midway through the first quarter that highlighted Towns’ work in the community.

“Just a lot of memories, moments,” Towns said. “I’ve been honored to play with so many great guys and basketball players and to be able to watch them go through their own journeys and their lives and just have a moment in their life professionally, it’s an honor. I called Minnesota home, a place that welcomed me with open arms and gave me, my family, especially my mother, some of the best memories of my life.”

Towns, who was selected as the no. 1 overall pick by the Wolves in the 2015 NBA draft, still shares the same connection with his Wolves teammates. He said Edwards was like a brother and said he still keeps in touch with his former teammates from a distance.

“I’m an avid Timberwolves fan, so I watch a lot of the games when I get a chance,” Towns said before the game. “They’re still my brothers. They’re still my guys. Just because a trade happened doesn’t mean I lost love for them. The brotherhood will always be there.”

Towns spent the night at his home in Minnesota before the game. He said he thought several times before tip-off how strange it would be to come through the visitors’ tunnel for the first time.

Towns rattled off some of his most impactful memories in a Wolves jersey — getting to play with Kevin Garnett during his rookie season, watching Derrick Rose drop 50 points in 2018 and Minnesota’s Game 7 win over the Denver Nuggets in 2024 — playoffs, sending the Wolves to the conference finals for just the second time in franchise history.

When asked if he missed Minnesota, Towns didn’t skip a beat.

“Of course,” he said emphatically. “I was here nine years. It’s been a long time since I called this place home.”

On the court, Towns has settled in with his new team, averaging 24.8 points and a league-leading 13.9 rebounds on 53% shooting, matching a career high, while shooting 44% from 3, which would set a new career highlight. shooting from the deep.

At 17-10, the Knicks have the third-best record in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Wolves had found a groove after a slow start, winning six of their last seven games before Thursday’s disappointment.

“They kicked us in every department,” Wolves coach Chris Finch said after the game.

The two teams played a preseason game in New York against each other a few weeks after the trade, but Towns said that won’t make Thursday’s game any easier emotionally. He reiterated that he wanted to enjoy the moment Thursday and cherish the memories he built in Minnesota.

“I’ve been through a lot, especially in a T-Wolves jersey,” Towns said. “I try to appreciate these moments that never or often occur. So I just want to be in the place of life, where I look at things from a half glass. I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be home again and have so many good memories and being able to play here against guys I’ve played with.”