NBA
Towns’ Sweet 16s Give Knicks Win in Preseason Reunion
So far, all parties seem satisfied in the recent blockbuster deal between the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Knicks hosted a joyful reunion on Sunday evening at Madison Square Garden, welcoming back both Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to the hallowed hardwood for a preseason game. Unfortunately for Minnesota, the game became a great reminder as to why the Knicks traded the duo for Karl-Anthony Towns, who had a serendipitous double-double that served as a headliner in a 115-110 victory.
Towns had 16 points and rebounds each and also swiped three steals as the Knicks (3-0) remained perfect on their preseason slate. Jalen Brunson led all New Yorkers with 24 points and six assists. Though Randle did not play as he works through the final stages of rehab for a shoulder injury sustained at MSG in January, DiVincenzo scored 15 (and letting his former teammates hear about it) and tossed seven assists in just over 26 minutes.
Amidst the theatrics of DiVincenzo and Randle’s respective returns (which were recognize with a tribute video), the Knicks offered their best look at the nine-man rotation set to start the season: each of the Knicks’ starters played at least 24 minutes while Mikal Bridges (15 points on 6-of-11) often worked with a second unit sustained by double-figure efforts for Landry Shamet (13), Miles McBride, and Cameron Payne (12 each).
Minnesota (2-1) got a look at what it was missing by trading Towns, who held new primary interior threat Naz Reid to 4-of-14 from the field and seven rebounds. Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 31 points in defeat. The Knicks and Timberwolves are set to do battle twice this season, with the first get-together slated for Dec. 19 in Minneapolis.
In the meantime, the Knicks will play their penultimate preseason game on Tuesday when they get a rematch with the Charlotte Hornets at MSG (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).
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