Karl-Anthony Towns recorded the highest individual score in the NBA this season with 60 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves as they overcame the San Antonio Spurs 149-139.
Towns, 26, also set a franchise record with his display, which kept the Timberwolves in the play-offs mix.
“People see how incredibly talented ‘KAT’ is and what he’s able to do,” said Minnesota coach Chris Finch.
“None of this happens without my team-mates,” Towns added.
The Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry was also among the night’s high scorers, with his seventh 40-point haul of the season in a 126-112 defeat of the Washington Wizards.
The match also saw the return of Draymond Green after missing 32 games with injury. It meant the Warriors were able to field Curry, Green and Klay Thompson for the first time since 2019.
Elsewhere, most valuable player contender Joel Embiid came up against last year’s winner Nikola Jokic as the Denver Nuggets met the Philadelphia 76ers.
Embiid top-scored for the Sixers with 34 points but it was Jokic and the Nuggets who triumphed, coming from behind to win 114-110, Jokic scoring 22 points.
“I understand the hoopla about that – two dominant big men who are MVP candidates,” Denver coach Michael Malone said. “But for us it was just important to get a win.”
The Los Angeles Lakers found themselves on the losing side again as they were beaten 114-103 by the Toronto Raptors – their fourth defeat in five – and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Utah Jazz 117-111 for their first win in Utah for 21 years. Giannis Antetokounmpo with 30 points, Jrue Holiday with 29 points and Khris Middleton with 23 all starred for the Bucks.
Trae Young scored 46 points as the Atlanta Hawks overturned a 15-point deficit to beat the Portland Trail Blazers 122-113, the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 134-116, the Sacramento Kings enjoyed a 112-103 win against the Chicago Bulls, and Evan Mobley’s career-high 30-point haul saw the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Los Angeles Clippers 120-111 in overtime.
