Karl-Anthony Towns goes off for 60 points vs. Spurs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
Karl-Anthony Towns had himself a game in San Antonio on Monday night.
The Timberwolves big man went off for a franchise-record 60 points in Minnesota's 149-139 victory over the Spurs. The previous Wolves record was Towns' 56 points against the Atlanta Hawks in March 2018.
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It's also the most points any player has scored in a game this season, topping the 56-point performances from Hawks guard Trae Young and Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum's 60-point effort against the Spurs in April 2021 was the last time a player scored at least 60 in a game.
Towns got to 60 points by shooting 19 of 31 from the field, knocking down seven of his 11 3-point attempts and making 15 of his 16 free throws. He also added 17 rebounds, three assists and one steal.
The three-time All-Star did most of his damage in a historic third quarter. Towns racked up 32 points in the third, the fifth-highest output in a single quarter in NBA history. Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson owns the record for most points in a single quarter at 37.
Towns nearly outscored the Spurs by himself in the third quarter, as San Antonio finished with just one more point (33). In the quarter, Towns shot 9-for-13 from the field, 5-for-6 from 3-point range and a perfect 9-for-9 from the line.
Towns ended the third quarter with 56 points total, equaling his previous franchise record. His first appearance in the fourth quarter came at the 8:29 mark, but he was subbed back out less than two minutes later still stuck at 56 points after picking up two fouls to give him five for the game.
Towns re-entered with just over three minutes remaining and got to the free throw line after pulling down an offensive rebound, making one of two for a new franchise record. Two possessions later, he drilled a deep 3-pointer to hit the 60-point mark.
Towns' remarkable performance helped the Wolves improve to 40-30, securing the franchise's first 40-win season since 2017-18.
