The first quarter belonged Julius Randle.
The second quarter belonged Donte DiVincenzo.
But Wednesday evening belonged Knickswhich led to a 137-114 second-half victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in Randle and DiVincenzo's final return to Madison Square Garden.
The Knicks (5-3) scored 83 of their season-high 137 points in the second half and led Minnesota by 27 points at the break.
That was more than enough to overcome a game-high 32 points from Randle and 21 points from DiVincenzo, whom the Knicks traded to Minnesota in a blockbuster trade in October 2024 for Karl-Anthony Towns.
“The main thing we talked about at halftime was just trying to be the aggressor and not play on the heels,” head coach Mike Brown said. “And I think our guys did a good job.”
The Knicks trailed by four points at halftime, but they went on a 10-0 run midway through the third quarter and never looked back.
Jalen Brunson capped the run with a 3-pointer to give the Knicks a 76-67 lead. Brunson scored 12 points in the third quarter and finished with 23 points, including 16 in the second half.
OG Anunony led the Knicks with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting, including 18 points after halftime.
And Towns, who played due to illness, added 15 points with 10 rebounds and four assists.
“It was a great win for us,” Towns said. “We found a way to continue to win as a team. Tonight was a great night for all of us to focus on the goal and ultimately get the win.”
Indeed, the Knicks received donations from every player on their roster.
Mitchell Robinson grabbed nine offensive rebounds in just 16 minutes to help the Knicks score 31 second-chance points.
Miles “Deuce” McBride scored 14 points with three rebounds and four assists in 21 minutes off the bench and posted a +26 point differential, the best of any player.
And Josh Hart scored 18 points on 7 of 12 shooting, including 4 of 5 on three-pointers.
The Knicks shot 55 of 102 (53.9%) from the field and 19 of 42 (45.2%) from 3-point range.
“Deuce was right to be aggressive,” Brown said. “He played under control. If they tried to take over the entire court, he would drive past them. He would touch the paint. He would play two and spray it. And the guys looked great when he brought us into our offense. Josh was also a big catalyst in trying to get us to pick up the tempo and play the right way.”
Randle played five seasons with the Knicks from 2019 to 2024 and was instrumental in the franchise's improvement, while DiVincenzo became a fan favorite during his only season with the team in 2023/24.
Wednesday marked the second regular-season meeting between the Knicks and Timberwolves at the Garden since the trade took place 13 months ago.
Randle played in last season's game – The Wolves won with a score of 116–99. – but DiVincenzo and Towns missed the game due to injuries. However, DiVincenzo played a couple of preseason games at MSG for the Wolves.
In Wednesday's game, Randle felt at home from the start.
On the Wolves' first possession, Randle made a 3-pointer on an assist from DiVincenzo. Less than two minutes later, Randle made another 3-pointer to finish the first quarter with 11 points.
DiVincenzo took over in the second quarter, hitting four 3-pointers in the period, including a pair over Brunson and another over Hart, both of whom he played with at Villanova.
In the final seconds of the first half, DiVincenzo stole the ball and found Randle for a layup, giving Minnesota a 58-54 lead at the break.
But the Knicks dominated the second half, outscoring Minnesota 40-28 in the third quarter and 43-28 in the fourth.
“I have to give our guys credit, 55 field goals, 32 assists, so the ball is moving,” Brown said. “The ball is buzzing. And that was part of our success in the second half. Our quick decisions, good court placement, and we just kept trying to share the ball and find an open teammate.”
The Timberwolves got 15 points in 29 minutes from Anthony Edwards, who beat expected time with a strained hamstring and returned for Wednesday's game.
Randle made 12 of 21 field goals and DiVincenzo made 5 of 11 3-pointers.
But it wasn't enough to top the Knicks, who have now won three games in a row since returning from an 0-3 road deficit last week. They are 5-0 at the Garden, their best start at home since 2012.
“We're growing,” said Brunson, who had seven rebounds and 10 assists. “We're learning. Playing at home is obviously a big factor. When we go back on the road, we'll have to concentrate even more than at home. Find a way to win. The energy at home is great. Playing in front of these fans is amazing. We need to keep improving.”
The Knicks' seven-game home season continues Sunday night when they host the Nets (1-7) in the first cross-city battle of the season.
