"See him go for 100 points": Anthony Edwards admits Timberwolves focus shifted to Karl-Anthony Towns breaking Wilt's record

Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves watched Karl-Anthony Towns put on a mind-boggling explosion in the first half on Monday against the struggling Charlotte Hornets. “KAT” erupted for 43 points to break Kobe Bryant’s 42-point record 18 years ago versus the Toronto Raptors. Though unlike the late legend, who led the Lakers to a 122-104 win, Towns couldn’t drag the Timberwolves to victory.

At one point, the Timberwolves zoomed to an 18-point lead and had the home crowd rocking Target Center. It looked like they were going to cruise to a win before the Hornets rallied for an incredible victory. Towns is the only player in NBA history to suffer a defeat after scoring at least 60 points in a single game.

Anthony Edwards had the following to say about the Timberwolves’ embarrassing performance:

“We wasn’t focused. We wasn’t focused from the jump, at all. KAT [Towns] just had a great night but we wasn’t focused at all. … Once he hit his first six, seven shots, I think everybody was pretty much trying to see him go for 100 points. I knew I was.”

Karl-Anthony Towns added 15 more points to his 43 after the third quarter, leading the Timberwolves to a 107-92 advantage heading into the fourth period. It all fell apart starting the final frame as Charlotte outscored Minnesota 36-18. The previously sizzling-hot big man began to miss badly, going 2-for-10 for only four points.

Minnesota tried to go to Anthony Edwards but the All-Star guard hadn’t found his rhythm after deferring to his teammate for nearly the entire game. “Ant-Man” finished with nine points on 3-for-11 shooting. Seven of his 11 assists went to “KAT” as he tried to help his hot-shooting teammate tie Wilt Chamberlain’s record of 100 points that was set in 1962.

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Chris Finch called Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and the rest of his players “immature”

Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch did not mince words after the 128-125 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. He didn’t spare Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns, or any of his players for the humiliating defeat.

When asked why the game “slipped” away from them, Finch testily replied:

"It was an absolute disgusting performance of defense and immature basketball all the way through the game. It really didn’t slip away. It had been there from the jump. This is what happens when you have this type of approach.”

Finch also said that he understood the logic of going to Towns’ hot hand. For him, it was the natural thing to do but continued that at some point, they should have returned to playing basketball the right way.

The coach mentioned that Karl-Anthony Towns began hunting points and that his teammates, including Anthony Edwards, encouraged him.

Minnesota’s night started spectacularly with Towns chasing one of the NBA’s most hallowed records. It ended in an embarrassing loss that had Chris Finch ripping his players for being “immature.”