NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns achieved a personal milestone by scoring 40 points in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, yet he initially feared he might have spoiled that achievement with a late-game turnover. This misstep occurred on an inbounds pass that allowed the New York Knicks to relinquish a six-point lead within the final 10 seconds of regulation, pushing the game into overtime against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday evening.
“If we had lost that game, I would have needed a therapist, to be honest,” Towns remarked, reflecting on the tension of the moment. However, the Knicks managed to secure the win, prevailing by a narrow margin of 149-148 after Jalen Brunson hit the decisive jumper with just 11.1 seconds remaining on the clock. The victory marked an important milestone for New York, improving their record to 36-18—their most wins before the All-Star break since the 1972-73 season, their last championship year.
With the All-Star game approaching, Towns now faces the challenge of pausing his stellar performances. He heads to San Francisco as an All-Star starter after an impressive showing where he scored 40 points against Indiana, followed by another 44 points and ten rebounds in the game against Atlanta. Notably, he connected on seven three-pointers, the highest total he’s achieved in his first season with the Knicks.
“I’m just thrilled that we’re going into the break with positive momentum,” Towns commented. “But it’s a bit unfortunate timing to finally find your rhythm.” After a period of struggle due to a thumb injury, Towns seems to have regained his form, with consecutive games scoring at least 40 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, equaling five such performances this season—second only to Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, who recorded eight in the 1989-90 season.
Towns’ scoring feats align him with notable Knicks figures like Ewing, Bernard King, Carmelo Anthony, and Brunson—who also scored 40 points in consecutive games at the end of last season.
Brunson himself contributed 36 points in the match against Atlanta, and it initially seemed he would lead the team after scoring 16 points with a stellar shooting percentage in the first quarter. However, Towns took control in the second quarter, netting 15 of the Knicks’ first 17 points and following up with another 15 in the third quarter. During overtime, Brunson scored six of the team’s 12 points, yet he emphasized that there was no deliberate strategy to prioritize Towns or himself during the game.
“There’s no specific rotation of whose turn it is to score,” Brunson explained. “We simply adjust, react, and do whatever it takes to win.” Towns lightheartedly expressed his desire to join in on the scoring streak, referencing his previous teammate in Minnesota, Anthony Edwards, who also scored 40 points in three straight games. “But honestly, I’m just glad that these scoring nights have translated into wins,” he concluded.
