Anthony Edwards led the way for the Minnesota Timberwolves with a commanding performance, scoring 36 points, grabbing a season-high 13 rebounds, and dishing out seven assists in a 116-99 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night. Edwards was electric from beyond the arc, hitting eight 3-pointers, and reserve Naz Reid added to the barrage with a perfect 6-for-6 performance from deep, finishing with 23 points and eight rebounds.
The Knicks struggled to find their rhythm offensively. Randle was quiet in his return to Madison Square Garden, scoring just eight points but contributing seven rebounds and six assists. Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points, while OG Anunoby and Cam Payne each added 18. Payne provided a spark off the bench, scoring 18 points in a blistering five-minute stretch spanning the end of the first quarter and the start of the second.
Without Karl-Anthony Towns, who missed his second straight game due to a sprained right thumb, the Knicks lacked the offensive firepower and floor spacing needed to stay competitive. Towns had torched his former team last month with 32 points and 20 rebounds in a decisive Knicks win, but his absence, combined with defensive lapses, left New York vulnerable in the rematch.
Minnesota capitalized early, as veteran Mike Conley, reinserted into the starting lineup in place of the injured Donte DiVincenzo, set the tone with 10 of his 13 points in the first quarter before Edwards took over. The Timberwolves never relinquished control, stifling New York’s efforts to mount a comeback.
Despite the loss, Knicks fans found a reason to cheer when a fan sank a halfcourt shot between the third and fourth quarters to win a 2025 KIA Telluride. However, the highlight for the Knicks on the court was Payne’s dynamic bench performance, as his buzzer-beater to end the first quarter marked a high point in a game where New York’s offense sputtered beyond Brunson’s contributions.
The loss was New York’s sixth in their last nine games, underscoring their struggles to maintain consistency as they adjust to life without Towns. Let’s grade each Knicks player on Friday night.Â
Jalen Brunson: B+
Stats: 26 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 5 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 9-23 FG, 3-7 3PT, 5-5 FT, -16, 36 MIN
Brunson was the Knicks’ offensive leader, scoring 26 points on a somewhat inefficient 9-of-23 shooting night. Despite the struggles from the field, he showed poise at the free-throw line, going 5-of-5, and contributed five assists to keep New York’s offense afloat. His two steals were bright spots defensively, but he couldn’t carry the team singlehandedly, as evidenced by his -16 plus/minus.
OG Anunoby: B+
Stats: 18 PTS, 10 REB (4 OREB, 6 DREB), 3 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 5-10 FG, 3-6 3PT, 5-6 FT, -18, 38 MIN
Anunoby provided a strong two-way effort with 18 points and a team-high 10 rebounds, including four on the offensive glass. He was efficient from beyond the arc, hitting 3-of-6 three-pointers, and added solid contributions defensively with a block and a steal. However, his -18 plus/minus reflected the Knicks’ overall struggles when he was on the floor.
Cameron Payne: B
Stats: 18 PTS, 2 REB (0 OREB, 2 DREB), 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 0 PF, 7-10 FG, 4-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, +2, 13 MIN
Payne was a bright spot off the bench, scoring 18 points on 7-of-10 shooting in just 13 minutes. His electric five-minute stretch spanning the first and second quarters gave the Knicks a brief spark, and his +2 plus/minus was a rare positive in a tough game for New York.
Mikal Bridges: C+
Stats: 15 PTS, 4 REB (3 OREB, 1 DREB), 5 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 1 PF, 6-17 FG, 3-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, -21, 39 MIN
Bridges contributed 15 points and 5 assists but shot just 6-of-17 from the field in a tough offensive outing. While his effort on the boards and passing were commendable, his inefficiency and inability to make a larger impact defensively (-21 plus/minus) limited his effectiveness.
Josh Hart: C+
Stats: 12 PTS, 9 REB (2 OREB, 7 DREB), 0 AST, 3 STL, 0 BLK, 3 TO, 4 PF, 3-12 FG, 1-5 3PT, 5-6 FT, -24, 38 MIN
Hart fought hard on the glass, grabbing nine rebounds, and recorded three steals to showcase his defensive instincts. However, his offensive struggles were glaring, as he shot 3-of-12 from the field and committed three turnovers. Despite his hustle, his -24 plus/minus highlighted the team’s defensive lapses during his minutes.
Precious Achiuwa: C+
Stats: 6 PTS, 9 REB (4 OREB, 5 DREB), 3 AST, 1 STL, 3 BLK, 0 TO, 3 PF, 3-10 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -3, 36 MIN
Achiuwa had an active night defensively with 3 blocks and a steal, along with 9 rebounds. Offensively, he struggled, making just 3-of-10 shots. While his hustle and presence in the paint were evident, his lack of efficiency and inability to convert easy opportunities hurt the Knicks’ chances.
Miles McBride: C
Stats: 4 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 0 PF, 2-6 FG, 0-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, +1, 19 MIN
McBride scored just 4 points on 2-of-6 shooting and went 0-for-4 from beyond the arc. He was active defensively with a steal but failed to make a significant impact in his 19 minutes, offering little to offset the Knicks’ scoring woes.
Jericho Sims: C
Stats: 0 PTS, 5 REB (2 OREB, 3 DREB), 2 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TO, 2 PF, 0-2 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 0, 19 MIN
Sims brought energy on the boards with 5 rebounds, including 2 offensive, and chipped in 2 assists. However, he didn’t score in 19 minutes, missing both of his field-goal attempts and struggled to impact the game offensively or defensively.
Ariel Hukporti: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -2, 1 MIN
Hukporti played just one minute and did not record any stats. His limited time on the floor prevented him from making any impact.
Tyler Kolek: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB (0 OREB, 1 DREB), 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -2, 1 MIN
Kolek logged one minute of play, grabbing a defensive rebound but failing to make any other contributions. His role was too limited to evaluate meaningfully.
Pacome Dadiet: N/A
Stats: 0 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TO, 0 PF, 0-0 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, -2, 1 MIN
Dadiet also played just one minute and did not register any statistics. Like Kolek, his brief stint provided no opportunity to influence the game.
