The New York Knicks face off against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, the first regular season matchup between the two teams since the blockbuster trade late in the offseason that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
During the preseason, the two teams met at Madison Square Garden, where DiVincenzo infamously had a few heated moments with some members of the Knicks’ coaching staff. Now, they are set for a high-octane regular season duel that is sure to be entertaining given the level of star power on the court.
Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns set for first matchup at Minnesota since trade
Minnesota was Towns’ original home for nine years, and it was a shock to him that they would trade him away during the prime of his career. The All-Star center reminisced on his days with the Timberwolves while gearing up for the matchup.
“Every game is important [but] it will be cool to be in the house,” said Towns, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “I don’t know. But I know that every single day that I put on that Timberwolves jersey I gave the absolute best of me even when I wasn’t 100 percent. I gave them all of me mentally, physically, spiritually. I was there nine years, so I go there with a lot of pride and joy for the memories that I have.”
Towns’ time in Minnesota came with little team success, but last season they reached the Western Conference Finals for the first time in two decades. Ultimately, the team decided to go in a different direction and build around Anthony Edwards, which made Towns movable.
Towns has been brilliant in his first season with the Knicks
Towns’ first season with the Knicks has been the best of his career. He is averaging 24.8 points and leads the NBA in rebounding with 13.9 per game. He is also shooting at a highly efficient clip, with a 52.6% field goal percentage and a 43.9% three-point percentage.
His addition has transformed the Knicks into being one of the best offenses in the NBA, and has been paramount to their 16-10 start. There are still some chemistry issues to be worked on, but Towns seems to have quickly settled into New York and is making the most of it.
The Knicks and Timberwolves game will tip off at 9:30 P.M. EST on Thursday. How Towns responds in his first game back in Minnesota remains to be seen, but he could put on another monster performance in front of his old fans.