Karl-Anthony

Towns

Towns did a bit of everything for the Knicks in their one-sided win over the Hawks. In just 18 minutes, the veteran center posted team-highs in assists and rebounds, while his great production at the charity stripe led him to the triple-double. Like many other Knicks players, Towns’ defensive stats were also impressive; he notched four stocks on that end of the floor to help round out what was a fine overall performance. He finished the series with two triple-doubles.

The Hawks haven’t had much of an answer for KAT during this series, but the Knicks have leaned even heavier on him over the last two games, specifically as a playmaker, which has really opened things up for New York. They’ll continue to lean on him in Game 6 on Thursday, which should lead to a lot more box score production for him, and if things go how they did in this game, that’ll be enough to close out the series.

The Knicks entered Game 4 needing a win to even the series, and they took care of business impressively. Towns led the way, as a greater effort was made to get him the ball early and often. KAT finished with the first triple-double of his playoff career, and his stat line only lacked a blocked shot. Due to Atlanta’s lack of size and depth in the frontcourt, Towns has a clear advantage, but only if he and the Knicks consistently look to exploit it. Game 5 is on Tuesday in New York.

KAT was quite active throughout Thursday’s game. Offensively, he took advantage of his opportunities by making the majority of his shot attempts and finishing as one of New York’s top passers. Additionally, he cleaned up the glass phenomenally and was disruptive on the defensive end of the floor, as reflected in his four total stocks. The veteran big man was also a team-high plus-22 in his 34 minutes.

Despite shooting nearly 67 percent from the field, Towns only attempted 12 shots in Game 2. That’s one less than his total in Game 1, but that 25-point effort was supplemented by a 10-of-10 night at the foul line. Towns did not attempt a free throw on Monday, and the Knicks need to do a better job of ensuring that he’s getting his touches. Atlanta does not have the size to deal with Towns, especially with Jock Landale (ankle) unavailable, but that doesn’t matter if the Knicks don’t look to exploit the advantage.

Towns started slowly on Saturday, attempting two shots during the first half. The 7-footer was far more impactful after halftime, helping the Knicks push their lead to as much as 18 before holding on. As was the case during the regular season, the Knicks need to keep Towns engaged offensively to reach their full potential. Backup Mitchell Robinson (three points, four rebounds, one assist and two blocks) played 15 minutes off the bench, and there was just one short segment in which he and Towns were on the floor together.

While Towns recorded another double-double in Friday’s win over the Raptors, Robinson sat out because it was the Knicks’ second game in as many nights. With both out for Sunday’s regular-season finale, Ariel Hukporti and Jeremy Sochan should play quality minutes, with one moving into the starting lineup.

Towns added another double-double to his league-leading tally, recording his 56th on Friday. He and the Knicks have looked sharp during the final week of the regular season, which is good to see with the playoffs one week away. The Knicks secured the No. 3 seed on Friday, so Towns could either play limited minutes or sit out Sunday’s game against the Hornets entirely.

Towns recorded his league-leading 55th double-double of the season on Thursday, and he did so on 50 percent shooting from the field. Against the Celtics, KAT appeared to have a better feel for when to pop for jumpers and when to attack the basket in the two-man game, especially with Jalen Brunson. If the Knicks are to make good on the preseason expectations, the Towns who was on display against the Celtics will need to show up consistently.

Following a one-game absence against Chicago on Friday, Towns was back to take on Atlanta. That pushed Mitchell Robinson back to the bench, though he still contributed 12 rebounds and five stocks in 20 minutes. KAT wasn’t able to match his triple-double from his last appearance, but he was able to stuff the stat sheet efficiently, which was enough for the Knicks to win a third straight game. KAT hasn’t been as productive in his second season with the Knicks, but he’s still a fantasy stud and will be an important piece for them entering the postseason.