Knicks Star Jokes About Viral Moment

Karl-Anthony Towns' dramatic double summed up the New York Knicks' evening in a nutshell.

Dec 3, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) controls the ball against Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns engaged in a sibling rivalry on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden.

Towns drew Wagner duty on Tuesday when the Orlando Magic took Manhattan. With Paolo Banchero injured, Franz Wagner has kept the Magic rolling with a breakout season while his brother Moritz has provided depth antics off the bench.

But Towns got the best of them on Tuesday, putting forth a 23-point, 15-rebound double-double as the Knicks rolled to a 121-106 victory. The Wagners united for 50 points but a good bit of their damage was done after the Knicks established a sizable lead that summitted at 37 before they relented.

While the Knicks had plenty of offensive headlines--such as a 50.6 success rate from the field, a triple-double for Josh Hart, five threes in relief from Miles McBride--Towns provided the undisputed highlight of the night toward the end of the second period.

Sizing up Mortiz one-on-one, Towns got bumped as he inched toward the basket. He appeared to pause, ostensibly to protest the lack of foul call, before immediately putting up a successful shot that sent an already-raucous Garden crowd into a fever pitch.

“Oh you’ve never seen that? A bucket’s a bucket,” Towns coyly declared after the game, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “Defense gave me baseline, I took baseline. I got a fadeaway jumper. A bucket’s a bucket.”

Towns already had a bit of a checkered history against the elder Wagner brother, as the two engaged in extracurriculars after the former laid down a poster-worthy dunk when the Magic did battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season.

Dec 3, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) blocks a shot by Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) in front of Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The duo penned a sequel to their bout on Tuesday: after Towns' dramatic double, the two got in each others' faces and began sarcastically clapping, leading to joint technicals. Even with the charge, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau appeared to enjoy Towns' flair amidst a statement victory, one that not only made mincemeat of the league's top-ranked defense but also secured the win in East Group A of NBA Cup play.

“Karl’s a physical guy," Thibodeau said in Botte's report. "As long as it’s consistent and it’s the same way for both teams, I don’t mind that at all. As a matter of fact, I like it.”

Even if the Knicks and Magic don't face off in the NBA Cup's knockout round or its consolation segment, they're set to do battle in Central Florida on Dec. 27. In the meantime, Towns and the Knicks face the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday night at home (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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