Towns scores NBA-high 60 points, Timberwolves top Spurs

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had a team-record 60 points — the most scored in the NBA this season — and the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 149-139 on Monday night.

Towns shot 19 for 31 and grabbed 17 rebounds in surpassing his previous career best of 56 points against Atlanta on March 28, 2018 — which had been the franchise mark. Lakers star LeBron James and Hawks guard Trae Young previously shared league-high honors this season with 56 points.

Minnesota’s 7-foot All-Star capped his dazzling performance by draining a 3-pointer with 1:39 remaining, shortly after making one of two free throws to reach 57 points.

He became the first NBA player with 60 points and 17 rebounds in a game since Shaquille O’Neal had 61 and 23 for the Los Angeles Lakers on March 6, 2000.

San Antonio has lost two straight since Gregg Popovich earned his 1,336th career victory to become the winningest coach in NBA history. The Spurs have dropped seven of nine and are 2-3 during a seven-game homestand, their longest of the season.

Spurs forward Keldon Johnson had 34 points, Dejounte Murray added 30 points and 12 assists, and Lonnie Walker IV scored 22.

The teams combined for 148 points in the first half, shooting 58 for 100 while playing at a frenzied pace.

San Antonio opened the game 4 for 5 on 3-pointers but Minnesota shot 75% from the field during the first seven minutes of the opening quarter.

Towns had 14 points and five rebounds while playing the entire first quarter against Jakob Poeltl and Zach Collins.

The game got chippy in the third with Wolves guard Patrick Beverley getting entangled with Murray and Collins on separate possessions. The skirmishes fueled a 16-7 run for the Wolves that gave them a 112-99