SAN ANTONIO — Karl-Anthony Cities delivered one of the vital prolific performances by an NBA participant in additional than 20 years.
And he completed with a pleasant spherical quantity, too.
Cities had a team-record 60 factors — probably the most scored within the NBA this season — and the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 149-139 on Monday night time.
“I instructed Coach earlier than the sport, `Hey hear, we want this win. I’ll do no matter it takes,’” Cities mentioned. “’If I have to play 44, 48 minutes, I’ll get it carried out.’ That was form of the mindset I got here in (with). I needed to dominate. I needed to be my finest.”
He actually was.
Cities shot 19 for 31 and grabbed 17 rebounds in surpassing his earlier profession better of 56 factors in opposition to Atlanta on March 28, 2018 — which had been the franchise mark. Lakers star LeBron James and Hawks guard Trae Younger beforehand shared league-high honors this season with 56 factors.
Minnesota’s 7-foot All-Star capped his dazzling outburst by draining a 3-pointer with 1:39 remaining, shortly after making one in every of two free throws to succeed in 57 factors.
He grew to become the primary NBA participant with 60 factors and 17 rebounds in a sport since Shaquille O’Neal had 61 and 23 for the Los Angeles Lakers on March 6, 2000.
“The entire group was comfortable,” mentioned Timberwolves level guard D’Angelo Russell, who had 19 factors. “All people was being selfless about it. I believe that was extra of what I appreciated. The efficiency was superb, however all people wished to see it, too.”
Minnesota is 1 1/2 video games behind Denver for sixth place within the Western Convention playoff chase.
San Antonio has misplaced two straight since Gregg Popovich earned his 1,336th profession victory to change into the winningest coach in NBA historical past. The Spurs have dropped seven of 9 and are 2-3 throughout a seven-game homestand, their longest of the season.
Keldon Johnson had 34 factors for San Antonio. Dejounte Murray added 30 factors and 12 assists, and Lonnie Walker IV scored 22.
The groups mixed for 148 factors within the first half, taking pictures 58 of 100 whereas taking part in at a frenzied tempo.
San Antonio opened the sport 4 for five on 3-pointers, however Minnesota shot 75% from the sphere throughout the first seven minutes.
Cities had 14 factors and 5 rebounds whereas taking part in the whole first quarter in opposition to Jakob Poeltl and Zach Collins.
“Karl was implausible,” Popovich mentioned. “He drove it, he shot it — he at all times performs laborious. He’s a hell of a participant. It’s not prefer it was a shock, however tonight he was particular.”
Cities had 32 factors within the third quarter. He completed 7 for 11 on 3s.
“They had been promoting out to guard the rim with every little thing else we had been making an attempt to do,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch mentioned. “He had the matchup, they usually didn’t have a solution for him. We undoubtedly wanted it and he stepped up.”
The sport bought chippy within the third, as Minnesota guard Patrick Beverley bought tousled with Murray and Collins on separate possessions. The skirmishes fueled a 16-7 run for the Wolves that gave them a 112-99 lead with 2:30 remaining within the quarter.
Cities had 56 factors by way of the primary three durations. He sat down with 6:34 remaining shortly after selecting up his fourth and fifth fouls inside 45 seconds, however returned to the ground with three minutes left to set his profession excessive.
Cities mentioned he requested Finch what he wished to do and the coach instructed him to ‘”go get 60.’”
“So I simply went on the market, tried to be actually aggressive,” Cities defined.
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