Friday’s matchup between the Timberwolves and Knicks lost a healthy dose of its intrigue just before the game when Karl-Anthony Towns, who came in as a game-time decision because of a thumb injury, sat out his second consecutive game.

Anthony Edwards struggled mightily through the opening six minutes of the first quarter on Friday in New York. He looked entirely out of rhythm, missing his first six shot attempts. Then he shifted gears and started aiming to get others involved,