To Karl-Anthony Towns’ credit, he did everything he could to keep the short-handed Knicks in the fight Tuesday at Target Center.

In his second game played in Minneapolis since being traded ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, Towns tallied 35 points and 11 rebounds.

The Knicks — who were without Jalen Brunson, O.G. Anunoby, Deuce McBride, Guerschon Yabusele and Landry Shamet — led midway through the third quarter.

But the Timberwolves eventually managed to overwhelm New York for the team’s third-straight win and 10th in its last 12 games via a 115-104 victory.

Anthony Edwards scored 38 points, Julius Randle had 25, 17 of which came in the final frame. Rudy Gobert continued his recent interior dominance, logging 11 points and 16 rebounds.

“Big shoutout to Big Ju. He picked it up in the fourth quarter and led us to the win,” Edwards said in his postgame, on-court interview. “We call him ‘The Bully,’ and he played like a bully in the fourth quarter.”

Randle said he started to play more decisive, downhill basketball in the final frame after a rough opening three quarters. On his first make of the fourth, he flexed to the crowd, seemingly to pick himself up off the mat, and went from there.

“Yeah, it was just whatever to get myself going at that point, so that’s just really what it was. I wasn’t really down, like mentally, up until that point,” he said. “It was just more of an energy lift, crowd got going, I got into it, they gave me energy and I just rode it from there.”

Towns fouled out with 35 seconds to play and exited the court to a nice ovation from the Minnesota faithful.

“Big shoutout to KAT,” Edwards said after the game. “I didn’t even know he had 40 until after the game. But he played his (butt) off. We all know how much of a special talent he is. I definitely wasn’t trying to match him. I was happy to see him doing his thing.”

More than a year later, Edwards admitted it’s “still weird” to play against his former all-star teammate.

“But that’s my brother, man. I love him,” Edwards said. “Wherever he at, I’m going to salute, be on his side and cheer for him.”

It remains weird for Towns, as well. He said he and his girlfriend returned to their home here on Monday, and noted how different it is to no longer live in Minnesota.

“We talked about just the lifestyle here and how awesome it is to be here,” Towns said. “All the memories here, just reliving them and driving by the same places that we always used to go to getting our coffees and stuff.”

Towns hosted a community event for kids on Monday, as well. He remains a part of the Twin Cities community. While he noted the Knicks have “done a lot of amazing things” over the past 12 months, that doesn’t erase the memories from his previous nine years.

He said he’s at peace with knowing the business cycle of basketball moves on, and the league is the league. But it still stings when he returns to Minneapolis and doesn’t walk into the Timberwolves’ home locker room.

“Come to this amazing state, the city, and realize you’re not going to the training facility anymore, you’re not making that drive in, you’re not doing all that, and now you’re in a hotel,” he said. “I think it hits different.”

Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart struggled mightily for New York (20-9), going 11 for 27 from the floor. Towns’ only assistance came in the form of second-year point guard Tyler Kolek, who logged 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.

Bridges and Hart struggled on a night when the Wolves’ perimeter defensive intensity was stout, with Edwards playing a large role in those efforts.

Minnesota was out-rebounded 55-42, but made up that gap and then some by forcing 19 turnovers that resulted in 22 points.

Naz Reid had eight points and 11 rebounds, while Minnesota won Bones Hyland’s 25 minutes by a gaudy 24 points.

Minnesota next plays on Christmas night in Denver in a nationally-televised affair between two of the best teams in the West.