Karl-Anthony Towns Addresses Early Struggles in Knicks Debut

The New York Knicks star ended up with a strong debut for the team at Madison Square Garden.

Jeremy Brener | Oct 11, 2024

Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) rebounds against Washington Wizards forward Richaun Holmes (22) during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks picked up a 117-94 win in their first preseason game at Madison Square Garden against the Washington Wizards, but it wasn't the perfect start for Karl-Anthony Towns in his home debut.

Towns made just one of his first seven shots, but he recovered nicely, making six of his final 13 to finish with 25 points on 7 of 20 shooting from the field. He also added 12 rebounds to record a double-double in the win.

Even though he struggled to start the game, Towns said he is happy that the game went the way it did.

"There are going to be tough nights when I'm just not shooting well, especially at The Garden. And obviously the pressure is different," Towns said postgame via SNY. "Show mental toughness to the fans and to your teammates even when things aren't going well."

Preseason is all about making mistakes and learning how to fix them, which is what Towns was able to do against the Wizards. With low stakes going into the game, Towns was able to recover nicely and come away with a positive effort.

As the stakes grow, Towns will have to come back to a night like this where things may not have gone the way he envisioned, but he was able to get back to his game due to his mental toughness.

Playing in New York is a completely different experience than Minnesota, and even though he grew up as a fan of the team, nothing can simulate or prepare for the experience of being on a contending Knicks team.

The pressure will continue to rise as the season rolls along, and Towns has to be ready for every punch that's coming his way both on and off the court if the Knicks are going to remain as one of the league's top contenders.

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Published Oct 11, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.