Karl-Anthony Towns took advantage of a very attacking game against Spurs (149-139 without overtime…) to set the season record for points, with 60 points (plus 17 rebounds) at 19/31, including 7/11 from afar !
It is also a personal best, and a franchise record, which he already held, with 56 points, since 2018.
“I said to the coach before the game: ‘Listen, we need this victory. I will do whatever it takes to get it. If I have to play 44 or 48 minutes, I will. explained KAT after the meeting. “It was my state of mind. I have to dominate. I have to be at my best. “
And Karl-Anthony Towns did indeed dominate. Faced with the defense of Jakob Poeltl or Zach Collins, who expected him quite low, he was able to draw from afar, or attract him to better go and conclude the circle. He also scored 32 points in the third quarter alone, making it the fourth best single-period performance in the last 25 years, after Klay Thompson’s 37 points, Kevin Love’s 34 and Kevin Love’s 33 by Carmelo Anthony.
Only four other pivots have reached 60 points in history!
“Karl was fantastic”could only see Gregg Popovich. “He attacked the circle, he shot, and he plays hard all the time. He’s a hell of a player. It’s no surprise, but he was special tonight. “
After taking his 4th and 5th fouls halfway through the fourth quarter, with the gap drawn, Karl-Anthony Towns went to sit on the bench and it was thought his game was over. But Chris Finch revived him for the end of the match, thus allowing him to reach the mythical bar of 60 points.
He is also the first pivot to reach this total since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. In history, only four other pivots have done so: Shaquille O’Neal, David Robinson, Wilt Chamberlain and George Mikan.
| Karl Anthony Towns | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2015-16 | MIN | 82 | 32 | 54.3 | 34.1 | 81.1 | 2.8 | 7.7 | 10.4 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 1.7 | 18.3 |
| 2016-17 | MIN | 82 | 37 | 54.2 | 36.7 | 83.2 | 3.6 | 8.7 | 12.3 | 2.7 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 25.1 |
| 2017-18 | MIN | 82 | 36 | 54.5 | 42.1 | 85.8 | 2.9 | 9.4 | 12.3 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 21.3 |
| 2018-19 | MIN | 77 | 33 | 51.8 | 40.0 | 83.6 | 3.4 | 9.0 | 12.4 | 3.4 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 24.4 |
| 2019-20 | MIN | 35 | 34 | 50.8 | 41.2 | 79.6 | 2.7 | 8.1 | 10.8 | 4.4 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 26.5 |
| 2020-21 | MIN | 50 | 34 | 48.6 | 38.7 | 85.9 | 2.7 | 7.9 | 10.6 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 0.8 | 3.2 | 1.1 | 24.8 |
| 2021-22 | MIN | 62 | 34 | 52.7 | 40.0 | 81.4 | 2.7 | 7.1 | 9.8 | 3.8 | 3.5 | 1.0 | 3.1 | 1.2 | 24.3 |
| Total | 470 | 34 | 52.7 | 39.5 | 83.2 | 3.0 | 8.4 | 11.4 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 23.1 | |
