LDN - Sports

Knicks sweep back-to-back games with Timberwolves

[December 03, 2016] NEW YORK -- Jeff Hornacek has noticed a drastic change in his center, Kyle O'Quinn.

The first-year coach of the New York Knicks wasn't around last season, but saw enough of O'Quinn on tape to make an assessment.

"He was a plodder last year," Hornacek bluntly said of the 6-foot-10, 250-pound O'Quinn. "Now he gets up and down the court better. He is quicker in the action. His conditioning has helped him do what we wanted him to do."

On Friday night, O'Quinn resembled more of a bull with finesse, sticking jumpers and grabbing rebounds in traffic on his way to recording his first double-double of the season in the Knicks 118-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Madison Square Garden.

O'Quinn, starting at center in place of injured Joakim Noah, had 20 points, 13 rebounds and two blocked shots. The Knicks are 4-0 when O'Quinn starts at center. He posted just one double-double last season.

"That is what team is all about," O'Quinn said about his role filling in for Noah. "At the end of the day, Joakim didn't go anywhere. He was talking to me on the bench, giving me knowledge. I appreciate that."

Carmelo Anthony topped the Knicks with 29 points and Derrick Rose added 24 points. Justin Holiday, making his first start at shooting guard for injured Courtney Lee, added 13 points and seven rebounds.

The Knicks (10-9) swept the home-and-home series. New York claimed a 106-104 win at Minnesota on Wednesday.

Zach LaVine led Minnesota (5-14) with 23 points. Karl-Anthony Towns, who scored 47 points against the Knicks on Wednesday, tossed in 20.

The Timberwolves, who led just once, missed all seven of their shots from the field in a 3:30 span that ended with 29 seconds left to play on a 3-pointer from Nemanja Bjelica, who had 17 points in 20 minutes.

A fast-break basket by Anthony off a block and assist from O'Quinn pushed the Knicks' lead to 112-106 with 1:21 left.

O'Quinn and Rose deposited four straight points each, helping the Knicks regain the lead at 109-104 with 4:31 to play. O'Quinn paced the Knicks with five fourth-quarter rebounds.

"He (O'Quinn) is able to roll to the action," said Hornacek. "He has great hands and long arms so he is able to finish."

Minnesota took its first lead of the game at 102-101 on a dunk shot from LaVine with 6:34 remaining.

A 9-2 run to start the fourth quarter enabled Minnesota to tie it at 100 on an alley-oop dunk by Shabazz Muhammad with 8:01 left.

After a sluggish first half, Towns erupted for 16 points in the third quarter, but New York maintained a 98-88 lead.

"I didn't play very well in the first half," admitted Towns. "I tried to dig myself out in the second half. We can't put ourselves in a hole like that and expect to win."

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Timberwolves point guard Zach LaVine (8) drives against New York Knicks power forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

A block by Kristaps Porzingis led to a 3-pointer from Anthony and an 80-66 Knicks lead with 6:05 left in the third quarter.

Anthony and O'Quinn combined for 14 of the Knicks' 32 second-quarter points, helping New York build a 62-52 halftime edge.

"O'Quinn dominated us inside," observed Minnesota coach Tom Thibodeau. "You can't give a team two or three cracks at it. I think they had 20 second chance points. It was the difference in the game."

Towns didn't score his first basket until 1:18 to go before the half.

Back-to-back 3-pointers from Anthony put the Knicks ahead 48-36 with 5:12 left in the second quarter.

The Knicks used a 15-3 burst midway through the first quarter to extend their lead to 23-8 en route to a 30-21 lead moving into the second quarter.

Towns was 8 of 8 from the floor in the first quarter when the teams met Wednesday, but failed to hit any of his six shots in the first quarter of the rematch.

NOTES: New York scored at least 30 points in the first three quarters for the first time this season. ... Knicks F Carmelo Anthony recorded his 12th 20-plus point game this season. ... Former Knicks C Cole Aldrich posted his first double-double of the season for Minnesota, his sixth team, getting 10 rebounds and 12 points. ... Knicks SG Courtney Lee was out with a sprained left ankle. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Justin Holiday, who made his first start of the season. ... Knicks C Joakim Noah missed his second straight game with a sprained left ankle. ... Minnesota C Karl-Anthony Towns became the fourth youngest player in league history to score at least 47 points when he achieved the milestone in Wednesday's 106-104 loss to the Knicks. ... Minnesota head Tom Thibodeau was an assistant coach with the Knicks from 1996 to 2003. ... New York's bench outscored the Timberwolves' bench 49-5 on Wednesday. Minnesota's bench outscored the Knicks subs 47-21 on Friday.

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