Karl-Anthony Towns Leads New York Knicks To Victory In Game 1

Karl-Anthony Towns arrived in New York with high expectations including performing in the postseason. The Knicks front office making the trade for the big man was a sign that they were serious about taking the next step toward being contenders. Towns delivered in Game 1 against the Pistons on Saturday night and helped lead the Knicks to a 123-112 win. His defense has been debated as a weakness, but it was on full display at Madison Square Garden. 

Stats

KAT’s strong defense allowed New York to keep pace with Detroit in the first half. Towns did it all to help the Knicks dominate in the fourth quarter, which included a 21-0 run. He finished the game with 23 points, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks in 39 minutes of play. 

The 4 steals by Towns were a personal best in a playoff game and the most by any Knicks player in a postseason debut since big man Nazr Mohammad in 2004 against the Nets, who were in New Jersey at the time. He is also the third Knicks player to record a double-double along with at least 4 steals and 2 blocks. The others were Marcus Camby and Hall of Famer/Knicks legend Patrick Ewing. They both accomplished the feat twice. 

Reaction

Earlier in the week, Pistons Guard Malik Beasley stated that he wasn’t “worried about KAT.” He should be a little worried after the big man’s performance in Game 1. He dominated on the boards and forced Detroit to make countless poor decisions. If he was not blocking shots, he was contesting them and making it difficult to get any high-percentage shots off. 

His defense is viewed as more of a liability than an asset. He had some words about that in his postgame interview with the MSG Network. After being read his stats on the defensive end, Towns said, “Not bad from a non-defensive player, they say. You’ve got to leave everything on the playoffs. With these fans behind us, they energize me, and I was able to make plays for my team, so I’m happy about that.” 

Looking Ahead

It is important to start an NBA Playoff series with a win, especially when you have home-court advantage. The Knicks are headed in the right direction following the Game 1 win. They must keep the momentum going through Game 2, and Towns can help set the tone. If Towns plays defense like this, it will be tough for the Pistons to get on any runs and take over the series. He just gave them something else to worry about.