Karl-Anthony Towns delivered his best performance as a Knick, putting up 44 points and pulling down 13 rebounds to lead the visiting New York Knicks to a 116-107 victory over the Miami Heat on Wednesday night.
Towns’ 44 points marked the highest scoring performance by a Knicks center since Patrick Ewing. He shot an impressive 17 of 25 from the field, including 4 of 5 from beyond the arc, across 39 minutes on the floor.
This performance marked a new season high for him with New York, surpassing his previous best of 21 points since joining the team in an offseason trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Jalen Brunson contributed 22 points and nine assists with only one turnover, while Mikal Bridges added 17 points and six assists for the Knicks.
Much needed victory for the New York Knicks
This victory served as a crucial comeback for the Knicks after their recent defeat to the Cleveland Cavaliers just two days earlier. Now standing at two wins from four games, the Knicks are back at .500 and share fifth place in the Eastern Conference with three other teams. Following a day off on Thursday (Oct. 31), New York will be back in action against the Detroit Pistons on Friday (Nov. 1).
Following their loss to Cleveland, the Knicks focused on getting Karl-Anthony Towns more involved offensively. In Monday’s game, the center attempted only eight shots, a number he equaled in the first quarter alone this time, racking up 12 points. Despite Towns’ early contributions, the first half remained challenging for the team.
The Heat’s two-game winning streak came to an end with this loss. The Heat had previously defeated the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets after losing their season opener to the Orlando Magic. Now, they have an extended break ahead, with their next game scheduled for Saturday (Nov. 2).
Tyler Herro paced the Heat with an impressive 34 points and seven assists, hitting 12 of his 20 shots, including 8-of-13 from three-point range. Terry Rozier contributed 16 points, but the Knicks managed to contain Jimmy Butler, who finished with 15 points, and Bam Adebayo, limited to 11 points.
Miami pushed its lead to 13 points at the start of the third quarter, but the Knicks responded with an impressive 11-0 run, highlighted by three-pointers from Brunson, Bridges, and OG Anunoby. New York regained the advantage, 79-77, when Brunson hit a three-pointer with 3:34 remaining in the quarter.
Karl-Anthony Towns securing the win for the Knicks
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Karl-Anthony Towns locked in the Knicks’ victory over the Heat with an impressive 14 points, hitting six of his seven shots in the last quarter. Frequently paired against Bam Adebayo, Towns showcased relentless scoring, allowing New York to sustain a steady lead.
Despite Miami’s resilience, the Knicks’ cushion stayed beyond two possessions in the final five minutes, securing a vital road win against the Heat.
Towns and the Knicks fired at 48.8 percent from the field, nailing 18 of 40 attempts from beyond the arc for an impressive 45 percent. They also excelled at the free-throw line, converting 90 percent of their shots by making 18 of 20 attempts.