The New York Knicks had more to celebrate than just the 119-102 victory over the Washington Wizards on Monday. Versatile big man Karl-Anthony Towns became the youngest player in NBA history to record 15,000 or more points, 7,000 or more rebounds, and 1,000 or more made 3-pointers in their career.
Towns had 33 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, and two steals on the way to New York's relatively stress-free win. The young Wizards' lineup defended with fervor but not much success. And the production was just what Towns needed to add this particular achievement to his resume.
It should not surprise fans that Towns is the youngest player to notch all three of these career milestones. The 29-year-old's shooting prowess has led to other statistical proofs of his distinctive style of play. His unique skill as a big man has been on display at the professional level since his successful Rookie of the Year campaign as a member of the Timberwolves in 2015-16.
Since the addition of the 3-point line to the sport in 1979, there have only been two seasons ever where a player secured 1,000 or more rebounds, blocked 100 or more shots, and made 100 or more 3-pointers. The first player to achieve the trifecta of benchmarks was none other than Towns in 2016-17. The only other time all three feats were achieved in one season was the next season. It was done by Towns, again.
Karl-Anthony Towns will be integral to Knicks' championship hopes
The Knicks have made large investments in Towns and his unique game. These can be traced back to the trade package surrendered to Minnesota to acquire him. They include his annual salary that takes up about 35% of the cap each season. They extend to the on-court adjustments they have made to insulate and optimize both him and fellow All-NBA teammate Jalen Brunson.
Neither Brunson nor Towns is lauded for defensive prowess or playmaking. Playing versatile and athletic wings and bigs around them helps mitigate that. The Knicks can 'hide' the pair defensively and reap the benefits of their tantalizing offensive abilities when reliable complementary pieces like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby surround them. They chose to trade for Towns, and do so, because they believe his gifts on offense can be worth it.
Towns' success on offense is critical to the Knicks' success as a team, especially because of how they want to play. Pace and space are both tenets of Brown's offense; Towns' sharpshooting ability renders him a natural fit. Knick fans already got a taste of Towns' ceiling as an offensive game-breaker in the playoffs when he propelled New York to a Game 3 win against the Indiana Pacers in last year's Conference Finals.
Towns did not make headlines with his offensive performance against his former team, the Timberwolves, on Wednesday night. He contributed to the win in the form of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists. His 1-of-5 night from downtown was suboptimal but did not inhibit the team from going home victorious. Not to worry—the big man has plenty of time left this season to make more history.