Knicks Must Keep Injured Star on Court

The New York Knicks need their star in the lineup despite being banged up.

Jan 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks to pass as Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) defends during the second half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks engine has run this season large in part due to the efforts from Karl-Anthony Towns.

Towns, 29, is excelling in his first season with the Knicks, averaging 25.1 points and 13.9 rebounds per game.

Recently, Towns has developed a thumb injury that he intends to play through as the season continues, but the Knicks need to make sure he is still able to stay on the court.

"Karl-Anthony Towns is seemingly getting used to playing with a bone chip in the thumb of his shooting hand, bouncing back from a 5-for-18 night against the Hawks to put up 25 points and 16 rebounds on 11-for-18 shooting against the Nets on Tuesday. New York is 2-3 without Towns this season, and their net rating increases by nearly 11 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor -- by far the best on the team," CBS Sports analyst Colin Ward-Henninger writes.

The Knicks are no strangers to injuries, though they have done a decent job staying healthy throughout the season. Last year around this time, the Knicks began to develop injuries with Julius Randle and OG Anunoby.

While the Knicks were still able to snag the No. 2 seed in spite of having injuries across the roster, it certainly affected them in their playoff run.

The Knicks have the potential to be one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference and NBA in general, but it all hinges on staying healthy, especially when it comes to Towns.

Towns and the Knicks are back in action tomorrow as they take on De'Aaron Fox, DeMar DeRozan, Domantas Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings at home. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game locally on MSG or stream it on NBA League Pass out-of-market.

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