Knicks Star, Coach 'Different' Entering 2025

The Christmas season may be winding down but Karl-Anthony Towns is keeping the tidings of comfort and joy rolling.

Towns wouldn't let old acquaintance be forgot on New Year's Day as he addressed his evolved relationship with head coach Tom Thibodeau following New York's 119-103 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. The duo previously collaborated on mediocre, if not testy, results with the Minnesota Timberwolves but now sit at the helm of one of the hottest, if not the hottest, team in the NBA.

"He's different. He's a different man," Towns said with a smile in video from SNY. "I like this version going into 2025."

Karl-Anthony Towns talks about Tom Thibodeau:

"He's a different man. I like this version going into 2025. You see him smile" 😂

"I've grown since the time when we were together in Minnesota, he's grown. This game of life, we're just finding ourselves getting better with time" pic.twitter.com/mjtl8nAY3x
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 2, 2025

When asked about the biggest difference he has noticed from the prior version of Thibodeau, Towns jokingly declared "You see him smile!"

There's certainly plenty to smile about over the last month-plus: the Knicks (24-10) have rendered a slow start long-forgotten thanks to efforts headlined in part by Towns and Thibodeau. New York ended the calendar year with eight wins in a row and added a ninth upon Utah's visit to tip off 2025. Towns had 31 points and 21 rebounds, becoming the first Knick to have multiple 30-20 games in a season since Patrick Ewing in 1989-90.

The newly-minted Eastern Conference Player of the Month, however, seemed most proud of the way both he and Thibodeau have matured since their first group project as Wolves.

"I think that we all grow," Towns said. "I've grown since the time we were together in Minnesota, he's grown. I think that we're just, [in] this game of life, we're just finding ourselves and getting better with time."

Towns and Thibodeau's next chance to showcase their evolving relationship lands on Friday night when the Knicks face off against the equally streaking Oklahoma City Thunder (8 p.m. ET, MSG/NBA TV).

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