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Knicks’ Karl Anthony-Towns is ‘Least’ of Malik Beasley’s Worries

Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley didn't have much to say about Karl Anthony-Towns.
Justin Grasso|
Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) celebrates his three point shot against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) celebrates his three point shot against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) during the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Detroit PistonsNew York Knicks

On Saturday night, the Detroit Pistons will pay a visit to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. It will be Game 1 of a potentially seven-game series. Heading into the matchup, potential Sixth Man of the Year winner Malik Beasley made one thing clear: he’s not worried about Karl Anthony-Towns.

“I’m not worried about KAT. I don’t worry about KAT. I’m not even thinking about him. … He’s the least of my worries,” Beasley told reporters following a practice session on Thursday.

Beasley and Towns once shared the court as teammates, but that hasn’t been the case since 2022 in Minnesota. Although Beasley has been on quite a few teams, building relationships with different players who have now turned rivals, he made it clear last week that when the game is on, opponents are opponents. Ask Giannis Antetokounmpo.

After playing for the Milwaukee Bucks last season, Beasley joined the Pistons on a one-year deal. He’s been a major contributor to a team that went from winning 14 games to more than 40 this year. Beasley joined an exclusive NBA club by appearing in all 82 matchups throughout the year. Now, he hopes to make an impact in the postseason, playing against the first-year Knick, Anthony-Towns, and the rest of New York’s third-seeded squad.

During the regular season, the Pistons found success against the Knicks by winning three out of four games. Two of those games occurred at MSG.

While the Pistons know that the postseason will offer a tougher environment, Beasley and his teammates continue to embrace their “Bad Boy Pistons” persona.

“I don’t see [teams] testing us—I think they’re scared,” Beasley said on Thursday.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia

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