Carl Anthony Towns staged one of the most scoring performances by an NBA player in more than two decades.
He also ends up with a nice integer.
Towns scored a record 60 points — the highest NBA score this season — and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the San Antonio Spurs 149-139.
"I told the coach before the game, 'Hey, listen, we need this win. I'll do everything I can,'" Downs said. "'If I had to play 44, 48 minutes, I'd do it.'" That's the mindset I came in. I have to dominate. I have to do my best. ”
Towns grabbed 17 rebounds on 19-of-31 shooting against Atalanta on March 28, 2018, surpassing his previous career-high 56 points — the team's highest. Lakers star LeBron James and Hawks guard Trae Young previously shared the league's highest honor of the season with 56 points.
Towns hit a three-pointer with 1:39 left in the game and ended his brilliant outburst shortly after scoring 57 points on one of two free throws.
He became the first NBA player to score 60 points and 17 rebounds in a game since March 6, 2000, when Shaquille O'Neal scored 61 and 23 points for the Los Angeles Lakers.
"The whole team was happy," said Timberwolves point guard De Angelo Russell, who scored 19 points. "Everyone is selfless about it. I think it's more of what I appreciate. The show was great, but everyone wanted to see it. ”
Minnesota is sixth in the Western Conference playoff chase, 1/2 game behind Denver.
The Spurs have lost two straight games since Greg Popovich won his 1,336th career win, becoming the most winning coach in NBA history. In the season's longest seven home games, the Spurs conceded seven of their nine games.
Kelden Johnson scored 34 points for San Antonio. De Chantey Murray contributed 30 points and 12 assists, while Lonnie Walker IV scored 22 points.
The two teams combined to score 148 points in the first half, shooting 58-of-100 while playing at a frantic pace.
San Antonio started 5-4 on three-pointers, but Minnesota shot 75 percent from the field in the first seven minutes.
Towns had 14 points and five rebounds against Jacob Peltel and Zach Collins throughout the first quarter.
"Karl is fantastic," Popovich said. "He kicks off, he shoots — he always plays hard. He's a hellish player. It didn't look like a surprise, but tonight he was special. ”
Towns scored 32 points in the third quarter. He's 7-of-11 on the 3-point line.
Towns scored 56 points in the first three quarters. Shortly after committing his fourth and fifth fouls in 45 seconds, he sat down with 6 minutes and 34 seconds left, but returned to the field with 3 minutes left, setting a new career high.
Towns said he asked Finch what he wanted to do and the coach told him to "go get a 60".
"So I just played and tried to be very aggressive," Downs explained.