KNICKS BOUNCE BACK VS. PACERS KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS' MSG DEBUT

Oct 25, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) and guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

NEW YORK -- The New York Knicks got obliterated Tuesday in their season opener, done in by a deluge of Boston Celtics triples. An NBA record-tying 29 of them, to be exact.

That taste was still in the Knicks' mouths when they took the floor for their home opener Friday night, and the club used it as fuel to drill the Indiana Pacers 123-98 in Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges's home debut at Madison Square Garden.

"Whenever you get your butt kicked on national TV in the NBA, it means you have to step it up," said wing Josh Hart, one of four New York starters to finish with 20 or more points against Indiana. Bridges and Towns had 21 apiece, while floor general Jalen Brunson finished with a game-high 26.

"I loved the way our guys responded," Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. "The fight we showed was a lot greater."

The result was a satisfying one for the Knicks, who, aside from moving past the embarrassing loss to Boston, were also seeking revenge for last season's Game 7 loss to the Pacers (1-1) at the Garden in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

The reversal from the Knicks' season-opening loss was most apparent on the defensive end. In Boston, the Knicks struggled mightily to defend the perimeter. On Friday, New York held the Pacers -- the league's second-best offense last season -- to 3-of-30 from the arc.

In particular, the Knicks' wings were aggressive with Indiana star Tyrese Haliburton, holding him scoreless on eight shots.

"I just was bad, bro. It happens," Haliburton said.

Bridges started the game on Haliburton defensively before giving way to Hart and OG Anunoby for a handful of possessions at a time. The Knicks (1-1) got out in transition a number of times following Pacers turnovers, scoring 29 points off Indiana's 14 miscues during the contest.

The Garden crowd was lively from the jump, lighting up to support Towns -- a local product from suburban New Jersey -- and Bridges for their first meaningful action on the home floor. The game was more or less over midway through the third, when New York pulled ahead by 30 points. But fans were still rowdy by then because of the not only Knicks but also the New York Yankees, who were playing in Game 1 of the World Series.

A massive "Let's Go Yankees!" chant broke out in the fourth quarter after Giancarlo Stanton hit a two-run homer to put the Yanks up 2-1, and then the chant was repeated once Stanton's shot was shown on the arena's video screen. Towns was among the fans doing so, and started waving his towel wildly as he watched the play unfold.

"Oh, I was looking up [at the jumbotron] for sure," said Towns, a Yankees fan who watched the game -- which was ended by the Los Angeles Dodgers' Freddie Freeman with a walk-off grand slam -- intently in the locker room as he was doing his postgame interview.

- Chris Herring, ESPN Senior Writer

SOURCES: KNICKS TO SEND RANDLE,

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The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves are finalizing a blockbuster trade involving All-Stars Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony Towns, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday night.

The deal would see Randle and Donte DiVincenzo wind up in Minnesota and Towns in New York. The Knicks are set to add a center in Towns to shore up their biggest weakness, and Minnesota is adding shooting and versatility in its quest to exceed last season's run to the Western Conference finals.

Minnesota also will receive a 2025 top-13-protected first-round pick from New York via the Detroit Pistons, sources said.

The Charlotte Hornets are the third team in the trade, sources added, and they are expected to receive draft compensation for helping make the deal work financially.

Talks between New York and Minnesota had taken place all summer but picked up steam in the past few days when Charlotte was brought in as the third team, sources said.

The trade was not expected to be completed for a few days.

Having just arrived back in Minnesota for the start of training camp next week, Towns was focused on building off the Timberwolves' West finals run, and the development was "completely unexpected," a source familiar with his thinking told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.

Towns, who grew up a little under an hour outside of New York City in central New Jersey, will immediately slot into New York's starting lineup at center, filling a massive need for the Knicks -- particularly in light of incumbent center Mitchell Robinson being ruled out for at least the first two months of the season earlier this week because of offseason ankle surgery.

Towns, 28, is a four-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA selection who has career averages of 22.9 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 39.8% from 3-point range. Last season in Minnesota, he averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds, while shooting 50% from the field and 41.6% from 3-point range. The No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA draft helped Minnesota advance in the playoffs for the second time in the franchise's 35-year history while making the West finals for the first time in 20 years (it lost to Dallas in five games).

Towns, who is in Year 1 of a four-year, $220 million supermax extension he signed in 2022, will reunite with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, whom he played under in Minnesota (2016 to 2019).

Randle, who turns 30 in December, averaged 24.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists for New York last season in 46 games before suffering a dislocated right shoulder Jan. 27. After two months of rehab, he opted to undergo season-ending surgery in April.

Randle has spent the summer rehabilitating and was expected to be ready for the start of training camp, sources said.

Randle signed with New York in 2019 and has played the best basketball of his career, making three All-Star teams and a pair of All-NBA teams while helping the Knicks make the playoffs in three of the past four seasons -- matching an accomplishment the franchise has achieved only one other time this century.

He has $28.9 million on his contract for this coming season and a $30.9 million player option for 2025-26.

He and the Knicks had not made progress on a contract extension this summer, sources told ESPN's Shelburne, essentially signaling the Knicks' willingness to trade him.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch previously coached Randle in New Orleans, when Finch was a Pelicans assistant coach in 2018-19. He is said to have an affinity for the star forward, sources said.

DiVincenzo, 27, signed a four-year free agent deal with the Knicks last summer and went on to make a career-high 283 3-pointers. Sources told ESPN that Minnesota was high on DiVincenzo as a free agent after he played one season with the Golden State Warriors, and his shooting will be especially needed on a Wolves team that was already a bit light in that area and now is losing Towns, one of the best shooting big men in the league.

Making the deal now means the "Villanova Knicks" -- DiVincenzo, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges -- never will play a game together after New York made another massive trade earlier this summer to acquire Bridges from its crosstown rival, the Brooklyn Nets.

In that deal -- the first trade between the two New York teams in 40 years -- New York sent out four of its unprotected future first-round picks, a future protected Milwaukee Bucks pick, a future first-round swap and a second-round selection.

Because Minnesota was well into the second apron and New York was bumping up against the first one, a third team was needed to make the deal work financially. That's where Charlotte came in, sources said, as the Hornets were able to use salary cap exceptions to take on money from the Knicks to make the deal legal.

Doing the deal now will result in Charlotte getting draft capital for its exceptions -- ones it otherwise could have held until later in the season, sources said.

At ESPN BET, the Knicks entered the day at +800 to win the NBA title this season. After the trade, those odds moved to +700, behind only the defending champion Boston Celtics (+340) and the Oklahoma City Thunder (+650).

The Knicks and Timberwolves are scheduled to play a preseason game in New York on Oct. 13. They play the first of two regular-season contests against each other Dec. 19 in Minneapolis.

The Athletic first reported talks on the deal.

- Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks

EDWARDS AND TOWNS LEAD TIMBERWOLVES INTO THE SECOND ROUND OF THE NBA PLAYOFFS FOR THE 1ST TIME SINCE 2004

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 PHOENIX (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are off to the second round of the NBA playoffs for the first time in 20 years.

Their first-round sweep of the Phoenix Suns served notice they might be ready to go even deeper.

Anthony Edwards scored 40 points, Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 and the Timberwolves pulled away late to beat the Suns 122-116 on Sunday night and sweep the first-round playoff series.

The victory came after coach Chris Finch left the game late in the fourth after an inadvertent collision with Wolves guard Mike Conley. The team said he had a ruptured patellar tendon in his right knee.

The success for Minnesota has been a long time coming, particularly for Towns, who was selected with the No. 1 overall pick in 2015 and waited nearly a decade to get his first playoff series win. Edwards is in his fourth season after being the No. 1 overall selection in 2020.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Towns said before looking at Edwards. “Playing with my man on my right just makes it more special. To be able to do it with someone I have so much admiration for, so much respect for.

"The future’s so bright for him, I’ve got to put my sunglasses on.”

The Suns swept the three-game, regular-season series from the Wolves, but Minnesota flipped that script in the postseason by wearing down a Phoenix team that had championship aspirations with their All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

The 35-year-old Durant — who Edwards said was his favorite player growing up — offered nothing but praise for the young star.

“So impressed with Ant,” Durant said. "My favorite player to watch. Just grown up so much since he came into the league. His love for the game shines bright. That's one of the reasons I like him the most, because he just loves basketball, he's grateful to be in this position and he's taken advantage of every opportunity he's gotten.

“I love everything about Ant. Everything.”

The Wolves will play either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers in the second round. The Nuggets have a 3-1 lead with Game 5 on Monday night.

It's understandable that the Wolves might take a day or two to enjoy this series win. Minnesota was knocked out of the playoffs in each of the past two seasons, including in five games against the Nuggets last season.

They might get another crack at them soon.

The Wolves were a handful for the Suns throughout the series, flashing a deep roster that includes veteran point guard Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, defensive star Rudy Gobert, sixth man of the year Naz Reid and Jaden McDaniels.

But there's little doubt Edwards and Towns lead the show.

Edwards had just nine points in the first half before unloading on the Suns after the break, which was enough to overcome Booker's 49 points. His powerful, one-handed jam late in the fourth sealed the win.

“That was the gameplan, get everyone involved,” Edwards said. “But in the second half, it's time to win. I've got to shoot my shots.”

The Wolves have slowly improved under third-year coach Finch, who was replaced by assistant Micah Nori for the final 1:41 as the Wolves pulled away to win.

Nori said Finch was in good spirits after the game and will be ready to lead the team going forward.

“It's just one series win, you don't want to overblow it, but it's the next step in the progression for all our guys,” Nori said.

- DAVID BRANDT

NBA ROUNDUP: WOLVES FINISH OFF SWEEP OF SUNS

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 Anthony Edwards scored 31 of his 40 points in the second half and the Minnesota Timberwolves completed a four-game sweep of the host Phoenix Suns with a 122-116 victory on Sunday night in their Western Conference first-round series.

Edwards made seven 3-pointers and had nine rebounds and six assists for the third-seeded Timberwolves. Karl-Anthony Towns added 28 points and 10 rebounds as Minnesota won a playoff series for the first time in 20 years.

Jaden McDaniels added 18 points and Mike Conley had 10 points and seven assists for the Timberwolves, who will face either the Denver Nuggets or Los Angeles Lakers in the second round.

Devin Booker scored a playoff-career-high 49 points for the sixth-seeded Suns. Booker made 13 of 21 shots from the floor and hit 20 of 21 free-throw attempts. Kevin Durant added 33 points on 12-of-17 shooting for Phoenix. He also had nine rebounds, five assists and four blocked shots.

Knicks 97, 76ers 92

Jalen Brunson scored a career playoff-high 47 points to go along with 10 assists as New York defeated host Philadelphia in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference first-round series.

Brunson set a franchise playoff scoring record and also became the first player in franchise history to post at least 30 points and 10 assists in consecutive playoff games. The Knicks lead the series 3-1 with Game 5 set for Tuesday in New York.

Brunson, who shot 18 of 34 from the field and 9 of 11 from the free-throw line, knocked down two free throws with 5.2 seconds remaining for a 97-92 lead. OG Anunoby added 16 points and 14 rebounds, Miles McBride scored 13 and Josh Hart pulled down 17 rebounds.

Joel Embiid led Philadelphia with 27 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots. Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points, Kelly Oubre Jr. added 19 and Tobias Harris had 10. Embiid had scored a playoff career-high 50 points despite struggling on his surgically repaired left knee in the Sixers' win over the Knicks in Game 3 on Thursday.

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Pacers 126, Bucks 113

Myles Turner scored 29 points and Tyrese Haliburton added 24 to fuel Indiana to a victory over undermanned Milwaukee in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference first-round series in Indianapolis.

Turner sank seven 3-pointers for the sixth-seeded Pacers, who shot 51.2 percent from beyond the arc and 51.7 percent overall to seize a 3-1 lead in their best-of-seven series. Game 5 is Tuesday in Milwaukee. Haliburton made five 3-pointers despite being added to the injury report as questionable approximately 90 minutes before tipoff due to a balky back.

Milwaukee's Brook Lopez recorded 27 points and nine rebounds and Khris Middleton added 25 and 10, respectively. Malik Beasley added 20 points for the third-seeded Bucks, who were short-handed due to the early ejection of Bobby Portis in addition to the absences of injured stars Damian Lillard and two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

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Clippers 116, Mavericks 111

Paul George and James Harden each scored 33 points and Los Angeles rallied after coughing up a 31-point lead to beat host Dallas Mavericks in Game 4, evening the Western Conference first-round playoff series.

Luka Doncic finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for the Mavericks. Kyrie Irving scored a game-high 40 points on 14-of-25 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-12 from 3-point range. The rest of the Mavericks shot only 5-of-21 from deep, including 1-of-9 from Doncic.

The series, which is tied 2-2, heads back to Los Angeles for Wednesday's Game 5.

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- Reuters 

NBA ALL-STAR WEEKEND TAKEAWAYS: LOTS OF POINTS LOTS OF WINNERS IN INDY

 

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis had plenty of winners.

There was Damian Lillard, a 3-point shootout winner Saturday and the All-Star Game MVP on Sunday — a two-trophy weekend the likes of which only Michael Jordan pulled off previously. There were Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu, who made their 1-on-1 shooting contest into must-see-TV. There was Karl-Anthony Towns, the fourth player to score at least 50 in an All-Star Game.

And there are the people tasked with updating the NBA’s All-Star record book. They’ll be busy for a while after the Eastern Conference’s 211-186 victory over the Western Conference on Sunday night in the highest-scoring All-Star Game.

The league goes quiet now, at least in terms of games, until Thursday. Everyone gets a break until then, and for those who were part of the shows in Indianapolis this weekend, it’s needed.

Some takeaways from Indianapolis:

ALL THOSE POINTS

Scoring 186 points is something that only two teams in the history of the All-Star Game had done before Sunday night.

The West scored 186 — and lost by 25. Hard to say anyone would have seen that coming.

AP Photo 

Here’s just some of the records: Most points by one team (211), most points by both teams (397), most points in a half by one team (the East tied it with 104 in the first half, then broke it with 107 in the second half), most 3-pointers by one team (42), most 3-point attempts by one team (97), most 3-pointers by both teams (67), most 3-point attempts by both teams (168), most field goals by both teams (163), most field goal attempts by both teams (289), and most assists by one team (the West had 60 to tie the record).

“Usually our preparation to get ready to compete, it looks a lot different than it looks when we come here,” Lillard said. “This weekend was a lot better than the past, but I think when the game is any type of loose, if it’s not a game where you’ve got a scouting report and you’re locked in and a lot is on the line, then guys who are too talented and are going to make a lot of 3s. That’s the kind of game it’s going to be.”

NBA ROUNUP: HAWKS' TRAE YOUNG PUTS UP 45 VS. SPURS

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Trae Young poured in a season-high 45 points and dished out 14 assists and Dejounte Murray added 24 points as the visiting Atlanta Hawks rallied for a 137-135 victory over the reeling San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.

Bogdan Bogdanovic added 14 points off the bench for the Hawks, with Saddiq Bey scoring 13 and De'Andre Hunter and Clint Capela tallying 12 each.

Jeremy Sochan scored a career-high 33 points for the Spurs, who have dropped 13 straight games and finished 1-13 in November. Vassell hit for 25, Keldon Johnson added 22 points and 11 rebounds and Victor Wembanyama racked up 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks for San Antonio.

The Spurs led by 15 points in the first quarter, by 12 in the third and by eight in the fourth. The Hawks took the lead for good on two Young free throws with 3:22 to go.

PATRICK BEVERLEY ON RUDY GOBERT NOT GUARDING THE TIMBERWOLVES’ KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS

 

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS' MOTHER DIES OF CORONAVIRUS COMPLICATIONS

Mother of Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns has passed away due to complications from coronavirus...