In the third quarter of his new team’s most complete victory of the season, Karl-Anthony Towns went flying into the Knicks bench to save a loose ball off a miss by Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic.
Towns got up quickly and made it down the court in time to complete a layup, two of his 30 points — along with 15 rebounds — in the Knicks’ blowout win Monday.
That performance had to alleviate concerns for those worried that Towns had been listed as questionable on the injury report and a game-time decision due to a contused left calf.
It even caused Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau to deadpan afterward that the four-time All-Star big man “should have [done] more.”
“For sure. He ain’t wrong. He ain’t wrong,” Towns, who bounced back from a poor game in Saturday’s loss to the Jazz, said with a smile. “We’re going to watch the tape and we’re going to find ways I can be better. You’re never satisfied. Especially me. I’m never satisfied.
“I always want to be at my best for my teammates, be the best for the city and for this organization. There’s always room for improvement, every single way, no matter what, every single game. I’m excited to come out of here with a win and excited to find ways to get better.”
On a night when OG Anunoby scored a career-high 40 points and Jalen Brunson recorded a career-best 17 assists — as part of the Knicks tying their franchise mark of 45 — Towns also was used as the primary defender used against Jokic.
The 7-footer helped hold the three-time MVP well below his triple-double averages, finishing with 22 points, seven boards and seven assists in 32 minutes.
“KAT gave us a presence inside,” Thibodeau said. “The thing is, look, this is the NBA. If you’re a pro athlete you’re going to be nicked up. If you can go, go. If you’re injured, sit.
“That’s really that simple. My thing is being mentally tough when you’re facing adversity is probably the most important thing in life, regardless of what you’re doing. Get out there, get the job done. That’s the bottom line. I like that part of him.”
Towns also recently surpassed 1,000 made 3-pointers in his 10-year career with the Timberwolves and the Knicks to become the 18th player in NBA history with at least 13,000 points, 6,000 rebounds and 1,000 or more connections from long distance.
The New Jersey product is averaging 28.8 points, 13.1 boards, 3.4 assists and 2.8 3s while shooting 55.4 percent overall and 45.6 percent from beyond the arc over his last 13 appearances entering Wednesday’s road game against the Mavericks.
The last Knick to record at least 28 and 13 with a shooting percentage of at least .550 over any 13-game stretch was Patrick Ewing in the 1989-90 campaign.
Monday’s game also represented the first time in the Knicks’ 79-year history in which one player scored at least 40 points (Anunoby), another had at least 20 points and 10 assists (Brunson) and a third had at least 30 points and 15 rebounds (Towns).
“OG was incredible. Nothing else needs to be said,” Towns said. “That’s the only word that describes it. He was incredible. He was at another level and it was a great day to be on that level. Showed up not only defensively like he always does, but offensively he showed why he’s so coveted by us.”