Down two starters, Karl-Anthony Towns and Knicks have to find a way to beat his former Timberwolves team
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns Credit: AP/Ronda Churchill
MINNEAPOLIS — In the wake of his worst offensive outing in eight years, Karl-Anthony Towns was upbeat, focusing on the Knicks win over the Miami Heat rather than his own struggles Sunday night. Rather than ruminate on the one field goal he’d converted, he was talking about how the Knicks can win in so many ways.
So let’s test that theory.
As the Knicks took off for Minnesota Monday afternoon they announced the injury report for Tuesday’s game against the Timberwolves — listing Jalen Brunson (right ankle management), OG Anunoby (left ankle soreness) and Guerschon Yabusele (illness) all out, along with Deuce McBride, Landry Shamet and Pacome Dadiet. They can win a lot of ways? Let’s try this one.
But here’s the thing, maybe you shouldn’t rule it out.
The Knicks pulled out the win over Miami Sunday on a night when Towns, the four-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection, scored just two points — something he hadn’t done since 2017. Towns had only scored in single-digits seven times since his rookie season. But rather than frustration, he was optimistic after that game.
“Of course, anytime you can win the game it’s a luxury,” Towns said. “I mean this is awesome to be able to win a game like this. I feel what’s great about our team is that we’ve shown y’all we can win so many different ways. I think that’s going to prove well for us when we’re in the playoffs and we’re in those tough games in the regular season. We don’t know how we’re going to win, but we know that if we go out there and execute, whatever the script is, we’ll find a way to make sure it works out for us at the end.”
It’s certainly a challenge, heading to Minnesota to face the 19-10 Timberwolves, a team that certainly has something to prove as the continuing referendum on who won the trade that the two teams pulled off. But it’s not like the Knicks are heading into the Target Center with no weapons.
Towns, the player who made the move from Minnesota, will certainly try to prove something. He piled up 32 points and 20 rebounds when he made his first return to Minnesota last season in a Knicks win. And there is Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, both of whom are gaining some traction to make the All-Star Game for the first time in their careers.
Sunday, it was Brunson who saved the day, scoring a season-high 47 points as Towns struggled and the Knicks seemed in danger of getting beaten early in the game.
“You’re struggling a little bit offensively, you want to have an MVP of the league on your side,” Mike Brown said. “For him to score 47, especially on 15 of 26, 6 of 13 from the three-point line, 11 of 11 from the free-throw line while dishing out eight assists, I have to mention it but that’s what he’s capable of doing and that’s what MVP’s are supposed to do on nights like tonight.”
Maybe Towns wouldn’t mind being in that conversation either. He willingly has taken a sidekick role to Brunson, who was already here when he arrived and is the team captain, but Towns certainly is capable. He scored a season-best 39 points earlier this season in a win over Miami that Brunson sat out and Anunoby left after just five minutes.
And when Mike Brown took over as head coach this season there was apprehension over his role and how he would fit in a system that didn’t seem to fit his skill set.
He has adapted and maybe more to the point, Brown has adapted, shifting the starting lineup and moving Towns back to center rather than starting him alongside Mitchell Robinson. And Towns has accepted that he doesn’t need to do it all for the team to win.
“You know, finding a way to win no matter how their game is going,” Anunoby said. “Everyone’s stepping up and making contributions, that’s what good teams do and that’s what we’re doing.”
“At the end of the day that’s what a season is about. I’ve said it many times before, you’re not going to just do this,” Brown said, pointing upward. “As a coach I’m being greedy right now. I just want to [go upward]. But the reality of it is you’re going to do this and then you’re going to take a couple of steps backwards.
. ". . . Then you’re going to go [up], especially in an 82-plus game season. I understand it and I just have to make sure that I stay here and continue to help us grow in the right direction and keep the guys up, even when we’re not playing our best basketball.”
Steve Popper covers the Knicks for Newsday. He has spent nearly three decades covering the Knicks and the NBA, along with just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.
