The New York Knicks will look for redemption tonight! They are playing their final game of a five-game road trip at the Chase Center in San Francisco. The two familiar foes met just a few days back, and the Warriors clinched a 114-102 win in New York. Forward OG Anunoby was a bright spot for the Knicks in this home defeat, as he dropped a team-high 29 points. A significant factor in New York’s defeat was the absence of their star big man, Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns did not play the game due to personal reasons.
However, Warriors star Draymond Green took a shot at KAT without even knowing the reason for his absence. Green stated that Towns was ducking his new teammate, Jimmy Butler. However, that just wasn’t the case. In reality, Towns was attending the funeral of a family friend. After the game, a reporter made Green aware that this was a reason for KAT’s absence. Green then half-heartedly gave his condolences and didn’t even apologize for his remarks. Well, he will have another shot to apologize to Towns tonight? However, is the Knicks superstar playing tonight?
Will Karl-Anthony Towns play tonight? New York Knicks injury report before tip-off at the Chase Center
This is already a highly-anticipated matchup between two talented teams. However, Draymond Green’s irresponsible statement has added a whole new dynamic to this showdown tonight. Karl-Anthony Towns has missed a few games this season. So, will he suit up tonight? Absolutely! The 29-year-old has joined the team after tending to his family in a time of difficulty. Moreover, he’s playing great. Towns put up 21 points and 7 rebounds in New York’s most recent victory over the Trail Blazers.
His presence in this high-intensity matchup will be a massive boost for the Knicks. More importantly, Towns has played well against the Dubs throughout his career. He averages 23.1 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists against them. So, the Knicks will hope he emulates a performance like this tonight as well. However, it’s not all well for New York. They will be without a key player for tonight’s battle—Jalen Brunson. Yes! the Knicks’ starting point guard is out from this matchup. This comes as a result of an ankle injury he sustained earlier. And they are missing him big time!
Nov 20, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) handles the ball during the fourth quarter against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
I mean, why shouldn’t they? Brunson has been a key part of the Knicks team this season. The 28-year-old point guard is averaging a stellar 26.3 points along with three rebounds and 7.4 assists. Not having Brunson among their ranks will be a massive blow for the Knicks. However, their worries don’t end just yet. As shooting guard Delon Wright is also on the report and questionable for the game. The veteran is on day-to-day due to an unknown illness. He’s been a solid rotation player for New York and will be missed tonight.
Furthermore, big man Ariel Hukporti continues to recover from a torn meniscus in his left knee. He’s set to miss the next four to six weeks. On the flip side, the Knicks have more to keep an eye on as the Warriors are only without a single player. Yes, the Dubs only have one injury to their young guard Brandin Podziemski. This isn’t great news from New York’s perspective. Nonetheless, they’ll have to figure out something to navigate through this game without Jalen Brunson. The big question this raises: Who’ll replace him?
How can the New York Knicks line up?
As the Knicks gear up for some revenge, they’ve had some good news and some bad news. The good news is Karl-Anthony Towns being available, whereas the bad is Brunson’s injury. Head Coach Tim Thibodeau will have to change his tactics a bit and make some tweaks in his starting five. He’ll once again rely on the team’s core players, such as Mikal Bridges. The Shooting guard hit a game-winning three in their most recent overtime victory over Portland. Also, OG Anunoby and KAT will have big roles to play tonight.
So, here’s how the Knicks can start:
Position
Starter
PG
Cameron Payne
SG
Mikal Bridges
SF
Josh Hart
PF
OG Anunoby
C
Karl-Anthony Towns
Ultimately, this will be an intense game. Both sides will look to prove their worth against a talented roster. But, the Warriors have been on a roll recently, winning six straight games! Stephen Curry and Co. look much better than this Knicks team without Brunson. Moreover, they’ve already got the better of New York on the road. But, you can never say never, especially for a team of New York’s caliber. So, we’ll have to wait and watch who wins this matchup at the Chase Center tonight!
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