It's safe to say that even the optimistic New York Knicks fans didn't expect Karl-Anthony Towns to make as much of an impact as he has this season. There were questions about whether he could handle playing in New York, but he's quieted all those doubts.
The Knicks entered the All-Star break on a two-game winning streak, but it wasn't easy. On Tuesday, they enjoyed a nice 128-115 win over the Pacers, but they followed that up by losing a lead to the Hawks in a game that went into overtime. Jalen Brunson's jumper with 11 seconds left led to a 149-148 win.
The star point guard finished with 36 points on 13-of-21 shooting, but that wasn't a game-high. Trae Young finished with 38 on 11-of-29 shooting, but Towns overshadowed that. The center finished with 44 points (14-of-25) and 10 rebounds.
KAT dropped 40 (14-of-23) in Indiana, scoring 84 points in two days. It's the first time in his career that he's posted 40+ points in back-to-back games, and he joined a short list of former (and one current) Knicks that have done the same.
Karl-Anthony Towns has recorded 40+ points in consecutive games joining Bernard King, Patrick Ewing, Carmelo Anthony and Jalen Brunson as the only Knicks to record 40+ points in back-to-back games.
— NY Knicks PR (@NY_KnicksPR) February 13, 2025
KAT scores 40+ points in back-to-back games for first time in his career
Brunson's clutch gene stole the show, but Towns played on another level. He never thought he'd leave Minnesota, but like with Brunson, KAT was destined to play in New York.
.@KarlTowns played out of his mind tonight 🤯 pic.twitter.com/9gMleaoOqC
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) February 13, 2025
Many Timberwolves fans regretted the Towns trade as soon as it happened. It didn't help that Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo got off to a rocky start in Minnesota. When the latter finally found his stride and entered the starting lineup, he was hit with a left-toe sprain. Meanwhile, Randle is dealing with an adductor strain that's kept him sidelined since the beginning of the month.
The Timberwolves are seventh in the West with a 30-25 record, one game back from the No. 6 Clippers. They could have to fight to earn a playoff spot in the Play-In Tournament, which isn't what fans expected after the team stormed to the Western Conference Finals in 2024.
Sometimes, you have to wait a while to discover which team won a trade, but it's crystal clear that New York has the upper hand over Minnesota. Losing DiVincenzo was tough, but acquiring KAT was more than worth it.
The Knicks center has a busy weekend ahead of him in San Francisco with Brunson. Both were named All-Star starters for the first time in their career. It's the first time two Knicks players received the honor in over 50 years. Thank goodness for that pre-training camp trade.