NBA Game Notes (March 20, 2023)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on March 20, 2023.

Randle Explodes, T-Wolves Win

Julius Randle exploded for a career-high 57 points, but it wasn’t enough as the New York Knicks fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves 140-134. Randle scored 26 of his points in the third quarter, breaking the franchise record for most points in a period held by Carmelo Anthony (25 on Jan. 19, 2017).

Randle shot 19-29 from the field — including 8-14 from 3-point range — and made 11 of his 13 free throws. He tied Richie Guerin for the third-highest-scoring game in franchise history:

• 62 — Carmelo Anthony (Jan. 24, 2014)

• 60 — Bernard King (Dec. 25, 1984)

• 57 — Richie Guerin (Dec. 11, 1959)

• 57 — Julius Randle (March 20, 2023)

Teammate Jalen Brunson scored 23 points and dished out a team-high 10 assists. Randle and Brunson have each scored at least 20 points in the same game 31 times this season. The only duo in Knicks history to record more such games in a season is Guerin and Wille Naulls, with 47 in 1961-62 and 39 in 1960-61.

The Timberwolves’ Taurean Prince was on fire, scoring a season-high 35 points on 12-13 shooting from the field, including a perfect 8-8 from 3-point range. Prince is just the seventh player in NBA history to make at least eight 3-pointers in a game without a miss (a total of eight instances):

• 9 — Latrell Sprewell (Feb. 4, 2003)

• 9 — Ben Gordon (April 14, 2006)

• 9 — Gordon (March 21, 2012)

• 8 — Jeff Hornacek (Nov. 23, 1994)

• 8 — Sam Perkins (Jan. 15, 1997)

• 8 — Steve Smith (Nov. 3, 2001)

• 8 — Michael Finley (March 26, 2005)

• 8 — Taurean Prince (March 20, 2023)

Prince’s effective field goal percentage was 123.1%, the highest such figure in NBA history in a 30-point game:

• 123.1% — Taurean Prince (March 20, 2023)

• 122.7% — Tobias Harris (Dec. 26, 2017)

• 122.7% — Davis Bertans (Feb. 17, 2021)

• 120.0% — Eric Gordon (Jan. 12, 2022)

• 119.2% — Dan Majerle (Jan. 11, 2000)

Backcourt mate Mike Conley scored 24 points and dished out a game-high 11 assists. Conley shot 6-11 from the field with three 3-pointers made, hitting all nine of his free throws.