In a highly anticipated matchup between the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves, Knicks star center Karl-Anthony Towns was forced to sit out due to a bone chip and sprain in his shooting thumb. The injury occurred during a dunk attempt against the Detroit Pistons on Monday, sidelining Towns for the second consecutive game.
Towns, who spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Timberwolves before being traded to his hometown Knicks, had been eagerly awaiting this reunion with his former team. In their previous meeting in Minneapolis earlier this season, Towns dominated with a stat line of 32 points, 20 rebounds, and 6 assists while shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from three-point range to lead the Knicks to victory.
Injury Setback Mars Towns’ Stellar Season
The thumb injury is an unfortunate setback in the midst of a monster season for Towns with the Knicks. The star big man has been putting up impressive numbers, averaging 25.4 points and a league-leading 13.9 rebounds per game since the blockbuster trade that sent him to New York on the eve of training camp.
Despite getting the thumb wrapped twice and playing through visible discomfort after the injury on Monday, Towns was unable to suit up for the Knicks’ overtime win in Philadelphia or the marquee matchup against Minnesota at Madison Square Garden. The swelling and pain in his shooting thumb proved too much to overcome in the short term.
Randle, DiVincenzo Also Miss MSG Return
The Knicks-Timberwolves tilt was also notable for the return of forward Julius Randle and guard Donte DiVincenzo to MSG. Randle starred for the Knicks over the past five seasons before being dealt for Towns, while DiVincenzo enjoyed some big moments for New York last year and ranked third on the team in three-pointers made.
However, both Randle and DiVincenzo were unavailable for this reunion game as well. Randle was out due to a tweaked ankle suffered in Minnesota’s previous outing, while DiVincenzo was sidelined by a toe injury. Their absences, along with Towns, sapped some of the juice from this interconference clash of teams jockeying for playoff positioning.
Knicks Look to Maintain Momentum Without Towns
For the Knicks, the priority is making sure Towns’ thumb heals up so he can get back to anchoring their efforts on both ends of the floor. Head coach Tom Thibodeau will likely turn to a combination of Isaiah Hartenstein, Obi Toppin, and Jericho Sims to fill the void in the middle for however long Towns remains out.
At 27-20 and sitting 5th in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks have stayed afloat thanks in large part to Towns’ all-around brilliance in his first season with the team. His interior scoring and rebounding, paired with an expanding perimeter game, have made the Knicks a dangerous proposition for opponents. Maintaining that momentum without their best player, even for a short stretch, will be a stiff challenge.
It’s a tough blow for us, obviously, with the way KAT has been playing and the presence he brings, but we have more than enough talent to step up collectively until he’s back.
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson on Towns’ absence
As for the Timberwolves, at 22-24 and in 10th place in the West, they’ll aim to capitalize on the Knicks’ shorthanded status to bolster their record and build positive momentum. With Towns out, Minnesota will feature its duo of Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell to provide the scoring punch in a revenge game at the Garden.
While the Knicks-Wolves matchup may have lost some of its luster with Towns in street clothes, both teams still have ample incentive to secure the win. The Knicks want to show they’re more than a one-man band, while the Wolves have a chance to gain a confidence-boosting victory in hostile territory. Ultimately, the game will hinge on which supporting cast rises to the occasion to make up for missing star power.
