Hornets vs. Timberwolves: Play-by-play, highlights and reactions

By HoopsHype | January 22, 2024

The Charlotte Hornets (10-31) play against the Minnesota Timberwolves (30-13) at Target Center

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Game Time: 8:00 PM EST on Monday January 22, 2024

Charlotte Hornets 128, Minnesota Timberwolves 125 (Final)

What’s the buzz on Twitter? Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBAThought Anthony Edwards had an interesting answer when asked about what it’s going to take to get the defense back on track:“We just gotta stop worrying about offense as a team. Everybody. Whether we make a shot or miss a shot, not getting the ball, getting the ball. I think… – 11:47 PM Charlotte Hornets @hornets“Down whatever we were on the road, we were plus-18 in the fourth. Our defense was really good. Our offense – they’re the best defensive team in the league – and we scored 36.” – Coach Clifford – 11:46 PM Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoopThe Sultan of Stat blew out two calculators and an abacus trying to keep up with the scoring performances in the Celtics’ win at Dallas tonight.But our man @DickLipe held it together and even threw in an interesting Joel Embiid/Karl-Anthony Towns note of historical significance. pic.twitter.com/lnXIBjhkLR – 11:44 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBAAnthony Edwards when asked if the focus just shifted to feeding KAT after he started off hot.“Just trying to get it to him. Yeah, for sure. He hit his first six, seven shots, and I think everybody, pretty much, was just trying to see him go get 100 points. I know I was.” – 11:43 PM Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynoldsAn NBA first: Karl-Anthony Towns had a triple-double of shot makes tonight.11 2s10 3s10 FTsDame had at least 9 of each three times, Harden twice. Nobody had 10 of each before tonight. – 10:56 PM Adam Wexler @AdamJWexlerThis is the 4th time 2 players have scored 60+ pts on the same night:Tonight: Joel Embiid 70 & Karl-Anthony Towns 624/9/78: David Thompson 73 & George Gervin 631/17/62: Jerry West 63 & Wilt Chamberlain 6212/8/61: Chamberlain 78 & Elgin Baylor 63 (same game)(via @NBAHistory) – 10:49 PM Brandon Rahbar @BrandonRahbarThunder can tie the Wolves for the #1 spot in the West with a win over the Blazers in OKC tomorrow.Wolves lose to the Hornets.. despite shooting more free throws. – 10:35 PM Sam Vecenie @Sam_VecenieAnybody who watched Brandon Miller in high school knew that he had a sick midrange game, and that the lack of midrange at Alabama was largely just a function of their offense.But man, tonight vs. MIN was such a great showcase for what that part of his game can be long-term – 10:31 PM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynskiAn abject disaster in Minnesota that is going to hurt for a long time.Wolves outscored 36-18 in the 4th. They played around with the game and suffered 3rd degree burns – 10:28 PM James Plowright @British_BuzzHornets with the MAJOR upset win over the T-Wolves. Played with hustle and bustle in the 4th quarter, can’t ignore the missed foul call on Towns on the final possession. Still, had no right to be in that game with such little size. NSJ/Miller hit some clutch shots in the 4th – 10:26 PM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBABrandon Miller tonight:27 points11/13 FG2/2 FTMiller is starting to emerge as a three-level scorer, just like he did in the middle of his freshman season at Alabama.Crazy thing is Miller wasn’t a midrange guy in college since Bama didn’t take those shots. But now it’s a… pic.twitter.com/Zgwb3TtnKN – 10:25 PM Brad Townsend @townbradTowns finished with 62 points, albeit in a losing cause as Charlotte beat Minnesota behind (future Maverick?) Miles Bridges’ 28 points. – 10:24 PM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBABrandon Miller tonight:27 points11/13 FG2/2 FTMiller is starting to emerge as a three-level scorer, just like he did in the middle of his freshman season at Alabama.Crazy thing is Miller wasn’t a midrange guy in college since Bama didn’t take those shots. But now it’s a… pic.twitter.com/BHe28Mn2c2 – 10:24 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNU60+ points in a loss, NBA history– Wilt (11 times!!!)– David Thompson (when he dropped 73)– George Gervin (the same night Skywalker dropped 73)– Bernard King– Jordan (2x)– Book– Kemba– Dame– Beal– now Karl-Anthony Towns – 10:24 PM Kevin O’Connor @KevinOConnorNBAUnreal the Timberwolves blew that 18-point lead to the Hornets. KAT with 62 but needs to rest late. No one else can score. And at home too. After losing to the Thunder at home over the weekend. Rough stretch. – 10:23 PM Law Murray @LawMurrayTheNUKarl-Anthony Towns and Damian Lillard are only players to ever make at least 10 3s in a 60-point game in league historyAnd Minnesota only has a five-point lead with 8:27 left… – 9:58 PM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynskiKAT has really been hunting it the last few possessions. He’s had an incredible night, but Charlotte is now within five at 113-108. Time to buckle down. – 9:57 PM Danny Cunningham @RealDCunninghamI love that in the midst of a career night from KAT Jim Pete goes out of his way to compliment Brandon Miller for how well he’s played tonight.One of the best color guys in the league. – 9:57 PM Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynoldsJoel Embiid, 70. Karl-Anthony Towns, 60.First time since 1978 that two NBA guys had 60 in the same day. And KAT isn’t done yet, either. – 9:56 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBAKarl-Anthony Towns has 10 made 3s through three quartersMost made 3s in a game in NBA history…Klay: 14Lillard: 13LaVine: 13Curry: 13 – 9:50 PM Gery Woelfel @GeryWoelfelWhat a fabulous night in the NBA:Joel Embiid sets a Sixers franchise record with 70 points.Now, Karl-Anthony Towns of the Timberwolves has 58 points … after three quarters. – 9:50 PM James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIIIFINAL: Bucks 122, Pistons 113. Detroit crumbled in final three minutes.Some good news? Hornets and Wizards come to town next, and the Pistons have turned a corner (even if record doesn’t show).Sasser: 23 pointsStewart: 19 points, 8 rebounds and career-high 5 blocks – 9:32 PM Matt Williams @StatsWilliamsKarl-Anthony Towns by quarter vs Hornets:1st quarter: 22 points2nd quarter: 22 pointsHe is the 1st player since at least 1996-97 to score 20+ points in both the 1st and 2nd quarter of a game. – 9:10 PM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynskiKarl-Anthony Towns goes to halftime with 44 points on 14-17 FG, 8-9 3s, 8-12 FTs.Wolves only up 69-64 after one of their worst defensive halves of the season. So he’s gonna have to keep shooting. – 9:07 PM Ryan Blackburn @NBABlackburnDenver just played a D+ game against Washington and won comfortably.Towns has 41 on the Hornets in 19 minutes.Embiid is about to go for like 75 points against the Spurs.The dregs of the NBA have never been so pitiful. Wizards. Hornets. Spurs. Pistons. – 9:00 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsbornEmbiid enters the 4Q with 59 points, matching his career high posted against Utah on Nov. 13, 2022.His previous season high was 51 against Minnesota on Dec. 20. – 8:58 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBAThe Wolves offense is rolling, but so is Charlotte’s.It’s still early but this is trending toward being the Wolves’ least effective defensive game of the season other than the loss in Phoenix. – 8:48 PM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynskiWolves have 11 assists on 14 made baskets. That kind of movement usually translates to wins. Have to lock in defensively, though. Charlotte getting things way too easy – 8:40 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBAKarl-Anthony Towns has scored 22 points in first 9 minutes of tonight’s game — roasting the hornets in pick and pop game.But this play might be my favorite. The fear of KAT on the pop leads to a red carpet to the rim for Nickeil Alexander-Walker. pic.twitter.com/RPOQkgNdoH – 8:29 PM Matt Williams @StatsWilliamsJoel Embiid finished with 34 points in the 1st half against the Spurs.The only players with more points in a half vs the Spurs since Gregg Popovich became head coach in 1996-97:– James Harden in 2019 (37 points in 1st half)– Karl-Anthony Towns in 2022 (36 points in 2nd half) – 8:16 PM Sam Vecenie @Sam_VecenieWrote this in the trade deadline big board but I truly have no idea what Terry Rozier’s trade value would be for other teams. Has been AWESOME in his last 25 games. Also, has a bit of an injury history, two years and $51M left on his deal, and last year wasn’t as good. – 8:08 PM James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIIIEND OF 1Q: Pistons 30, Bucks 30. And I thought Detroit spent the first five minutes stuck in mud.Gallo: 8 pointsStew didn’t start but played 9 min, was awesome on DTeam isn’t perfect, but the rotation changes over the last 4/5 gms has made this team competitive every night. – 7:43 PM Tom Orsborn @tom_orsbornSince going 0 of 5 from 3-point range at both Boston and Charlotte, Vassell is 10 of 16 in his last 3 outings. – 7:35 PM Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoopsCoby White (1560) and DeMar DeRozan (1554) rank 1st & 2nd, respectively, among all NBA players in total minutes played this season. Both have played the most min by any Bulls player through the team’s first 44 games since 2015-16 (J. Butler), per Bulls PR. @cbefred ? Crickets! – 7:15 PM James Plowright @British_BuzzA lot of Terry Rozier to the Heat trade buzz emerging from Miami based reporters this afternoon. I don’t take anything less than two 1sts + Jovic+Lowry for CharlotteI discussed a Rozier deal in depth with @TheMiamiHeatUK on the video below ⬇️youtu.be/afPQJBNsL6c – 6:51 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBAChris Finch said Mike Conley has some hamstring tightness, and trying to stay on top of that is why Conley is resting tonight. – 6:24 PM Jon Krawczynski @JonKrawczynskiFinch says Mike Conley actually feeling some tightness in his hamstring, which is more of a reason for sitting out tonight as a precaution versus just a general rest day – 6:18 PM Minnesota Timberwolves PR @Twolves_PRTonight’s Media Meal vs. Charlotte:Farmer SaladLemon and Herb ChickenRoasted BroccoliniBrown Butter GnocchiMaple Glazed Pork LoinChicken Noodle SoupAssorted DessertsPostgame Pizza – 5:09 PM Dane Moore @DaneMooreNBATroy Brown Jr. has started the three games Anthony Edwards has missed thus far this season. But part of that was because Nickeil Alexander-Walker was already in the starting lineup during those games because McDaniels was also hurt at that time.Alexander-Walker also started in… – 3:01 PM Wes Goldberg @wcgoldbergHearing a lot of “Terry Rozier’s contract is team friendly because the final year is partially guaranteed.”That’s not quite right.It *is* partially guaranteed, but the difference in money is only ~$2M ($24.9M vs $26.6M)…So not very “team friendly.” – 2:28 PM