Karl-Anthony Towns felt at home in Madison Square Garden.
Homecoming celebrations can take many forms, from high school dance functions to funerals. Karl-Anthony Towns got to tease what fans of the New York Knicks should expect for the coming NBA season. The newest acquisition was outstanding in his return to the old stomping grounds, even if it did not mean much in the overall standings.
Perhaps that is why the New Jersey native born and raised a few miles from Madison Square Garden sounded at ease after a 117-94 Knicks preseason win.
“Man the fans have been great,” Towns began. “It definitely hits different to be home. It's a blessing to be here. I'm excited for all of the games I'm going to get to play in front of these fans.”
That quote might hit differently after the first regular season home win, especially if Towns posts similar stat lines. He finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks in 28 minutes of action against the Wizards, going 7-for-20 from the field and 1-for-7 from three-point range.
That lone three did bring out a hilarious reaction. It was Towns' first Knicks beyond-the-arc bomb since being traded to the Big Apple's biggest basketball brand. The Knicks are betting the 28-year-old turns things around quickly. It should not take long for the former Tom Thibodeaux protege to pick up the new offense for the regular season.
Karl-Anthony Towns brings a different dynamic to Knicks
The Knicks traded All-NBAer Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and multiple draft assets to bring Towns home. It is easy to see why. The new New York frontcourt threat averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and three assists per game last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The big man also posted shooting marks of 50.4% from the field and 41.6% from the three-point range in 62 games.
That is something the Knicks could use to replace the less-accurate, less-mobile Randle. Timberwolves coach Chris Finch is going to miss the best shooting big man in the league. Not just in the rotations but in the only professional home locker room Towns has ever known.
“Performance-wise, one of the most skilled players I’ve ever coached, no doubt about it. An incredibly talented player who did a lot of amazing things in last year’s playoffs. That doesn’t happen without his contribution on both ends of the floor, for sure,” Finch said. “Just a really good guy, big for the community. So it’s always hard. It just is. You don’t think about the human side of things when you’re contemplating these types of moves, but when they happen, that’s the first thing that comes to mind.”
