Knicks Star Karl-Anthony Towns Relishes Defensive Showcase

KAT's first postseason showing as a New York Knick was up to scratch in more ways than one.

Karl-Anthony Towns exceeded his billing advertised when the Knicks traded for his services last fall in the Saturday playoff opener against the Detroit Pistons.

In his maiden postseason voyage as a Manhattanite, Towns put forth an expected double-double (23 points, 11 rebounds) but complemented those tallies with four blocks and two steals in the 123-112 victory in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

"Did you expect anything less from the most clutch player in the NBA?" -KAT on Jalen Brunson coming back to play in the 4th. @NYKnicks | #NewYorkForever | @alanhahn pic.twitter.com/O6hhuVQXYR
— KNICKS ON MSG (@KnicksMSGN) April 20, 2025

With his defense often standing as one of the most critiqued parts of his game, Towns relished the rejections and takeaways in his postgame interview with Alan Hahn of MSG Network.

"Not bad from a non-defensive player, they say," Towns said, unable to stop beaming when Hahn read him his defensive box score. "You've got to leave everything on the playoffs. With these fans behind us, they energize me, and I was able to make plays for my team, so I'm happy about that."

Towns' four steals were the most he has ever had in a playoff game and the most any Knick has had in his postseason debut with the team since Nazr Mohammad in 2004's opening round against New Jersey. He's also the third New Yorker to have a post a playoff double-double while also earning at least four steals and two blocks, joining Marcus Camby and Patrick Ewing, who each did it twice.

Towns did most of his defensive dirty work in the first half, which helped the Knicks keep pace with the pesky Pistons amidst some early sloppiness. Nonetheless, it could be generally agreed upon that he saved his best for last.

The All-Star center's last two steals came in the midst of a game-changing 21-0 run for the Knicks in the fourth and the latter came immediately after Detroit had taken a timeout in an attempt to stem the late bleeding. Those takeaways were converted into Jalen Brunson points that many felt would not come after the captain limped off the floor at the end of the third quarter.

Brunson's contributions were hard a shock to Towns, who rhetorically asked Hahn if he expect[ed] anything less from the most clutch player in the NBA."

Apr 19, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts after scoring against the Detroit Pistons in Game One of the First Round of the NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

So while another Saturday night in Knicks country belonged to Brunson (and Cameron Payne, who joined the captain for a fantastic fourth), Towns' unexpected defensive showing undoubtedly played a role in the Knicks' joyful fate. New York forced 21 turnovers on Saturday, its most since a March 17 triumph over Miami.

The efforts of Towns and more helped the Knicks plug their first half holes en route to victory: Tobias Harris, for example, was held nearly scoreless over the latter 24 minutes, held to 25 points total after putting in a game-best 22 in the opening stanzas.

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