KAT, Edwards have historic nights as Timberwolves beat Nuggets 124-107
Karl-Anthony Towns (32) of the Minnesota Timberwolves backs down Aaron Gordon (50) of the Denver Nuggets during the first quarter on Wednesday, December 15, 2021. ((Photo by AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Denver Nuggets 124-107 Wednesday night to win their second straight and improve to 13-15 on the season.
It was a historic night for a pair of No. 1 overall picks, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. Towns finished with 32 points, shooting 12-of-18 from the field and 3-of-7 from three-point range and in the process, became the fifth-fastest player in NBA history to record his 10,000th career point.
"He’s an unbelievable gifted offensive player," Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said after the win. "He’s just a joy to have, he’s a luxury to have offensively.
Towns got the game ball after the win, and a few celebratory ice baths.
"It meant a lot to me. I’m humbled, it takes a village. It takes a lot of sacrifice not just from me, but from my support system to help me reach this milestone. I feel like I’ve got a lot more to do in a Wolves jersey, and I’m just excited to do this with these group of guys in the locker room. Seven years in, to have that kind of moment, it meant a lot to me."
Edwards had a game-high 38 points, shooting 14-of-21 from the field and 10-of-14 from the perimeter. Edwards became the youngest player in NBA history to make 10 3-pointers in a single game.
The Wolves celebrated both milestones in the locker room postgame, and Towns and Edwards debated during interviews after the win who the better shooter was. As a team, the Wolves shot 23-of-48 (48 percent) from the perimeter, and five different players made at least three perimeter shots.
"I think my teammates do a great job of telling me to just be me and just go, no matter if I’m hot or not. They do a great job of giving even more confidence than I already have," Edwards said.
Edwards got his milestone in his 100th career game. Towns become the second Wolves player ever to score 10,000 career points, joining Kevin Garnett.
Wednesday night’s win snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Nuggets, and it was the team’s first win in Denver since December of 2017.
The Timberwolves are 13-15 and sit in the No. 9 spot in the Western Conference, 28 games into the season. The Wolves host the L.A. Lakers Friday night at Target Center, a 9 p.m. tip-off on national TV.