Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs series between the Detroit Pistons and New York Knicks was an emotional rollercoaster. New York entered halftime leading 57-55, exited the third quarter trailing 91-83, and went on a legendary 21-0 fourth-quarter run to pull ahead and ultimately hold on for a 123-112 win.
At the heart of New York's success was a player who has been written off as a postseason non-factor despite their All-NBA talent: Karl-Anthony Towns.
Towns entered the 2025 NBA Playoffs with career postseason averages of 18.8 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 blocks, 0.7 steals, and 1.5 three-point field goals made per game. He also boasted a cumulative slash line of .468/.350/.824.
While those numbers are by no means bad, they're a drastic decline from career regular-season marks of 23.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.2 blocks, 0.8 steals, and 1.7 three-point field goals made on .524/.400/.837 shooting.
That statisical disparity went hand-in-hand with the reputation that Towns had developed in the playoffs. He was widely regarded as a player whose game would suffer once the pressure mounted, with many writing him off as a non-factor in conversations about the best players in the NBA due to his postseason shortcomings.
Thankfully, the Knicks have thus far benefited from having a version of Towns whom Minnesota Timberwolves fans wouldn't even recognize.
Karl-Anthony Towns out to prove he's not the player he used to be
Towns finished the Game 1 win over Detroit with 23 points, 11 rebounds, five assists, four steals, and two blocks. He shot 10-of-14 from the field, accumulated the second-best +/- on the Knicks, and saw the third-most minutes of any New York player.
Most importantly, Towns responded to the team's dreadful third quarter, during which they were outscored 36-26, by stepping up in every phase of the game.
Towns tallied seven points, four rebounds, three assists, and two steals during the fourth quarter alone, including five quick points to reroute momentum early in the final frame. It was the type of clutch showing that many Knicks fans feared he wouldn't be able to provide come the postseason.
Future games may require him to be more aggressive as a scorer, but this was a phenomenal first showing as the Knicks' interior anchor in a postseason setting.
It's also worth noting that Towns helped hold Jalen Duren to just seven points and six rebounds in 25 minutes. Isaiah Stewart wasn't any more effective in relief, tallying two points and five boards in 19 minutes for the Pistons.
That at least offers some reason for optimism in terms of Towns' ability to match up against Detroit's physical combination of interior players.
The questions facing Towns from this point forward revolve around consistency and aggressiveness. New York needs him to provide a positive impact as often as possible, and will likely require him to tackle difficult matchups in every round.
All that can be understood is what's already been shown, however, and Towns has given the Knicks every reason for optimism after Game 1.