Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts after missing a three point shot against Detroit Pistons guard Marcus Sasser (25) and center Jalen Duren (0) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
After helping the Minnesota Timberwolves reach the conference finals last year, Karl-Anthony Towns found himself traded last offseason. Now with the Knicks, his first postseason run in New York begins with a matchup against the Detroit Pistons.
Despite changing teams, Towns continues to be one of the top offensive centers in the league. During the regular season, he averaged 24.4 PPG and 12.8 RPG while shooting 42.0% from beyond the arc. Playing alongside a premiere point guard in Jalen Brunson, this duo led the Knicks to the third-best record in the Eastern Conference.
Upon trading for Towns, the Knicks made it clear they want to contend for a championship right now. Their quest to achieve this goal begins on Saturday night in their first-round matchup with the Pistons. Before the action gets underway at Madison Square Garden, the All-Star big man posted a hype video on X to add to the excitement.
Mysterious and important @BenStiller pic.twitter.com/XBy7xU57G4
— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) April 19, 2025
If the Pistons want any shot of pulling off an upset in this series, Towns is someone they’re going to have to put a lot of focus on. Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart will likely be the primary players tasked with containing the versatile center.
Towns played in three of the four regular-season matchups against the Pistons, and his production was on par with his averages for the year. He scored 25 or more points on two occasions and notched double-digit rebounds in every game.
After falling just short of a finals appearance last playoffs, Towns will surely be motivated to be part of another deep run. As for Detroit, the young squad is attempting to make a statement following a historic turnaround in the regular season.
These teams will battle it out on ESPN, with tip-off slated for 6:00 pm Eastern Time.
