By Kris Pursiainen
Copyright clutchpoints
Heading into their second season as teammates on the New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson has high praise for Karl-Anthony Towns. In a recent interview with GamesHub, Brunson said he was “really happy to have him” as a teammate. Brunson discussed what Towns brings to the New York Knicks both on and off the basketball court.
“He’s been phenomenal for us, in the locker room has been great,” Brunson told GamesHub. “On the court, he’s been great. The things that he’s been able to do in a short period of time being a Knick has been amazing.”
Those accomplishments include five 40-point games, the most he’s had in one regular season in his career thus far, as well as becoming one of two Knicks with 30 points and 20 rebounds in a game in which they shot over 80% from the floor. Willis Reed is the only other.
Towns won Eastern Conference Player of the Month in December after that performance. His most important contributions to the Knicks’ season may have come in the team’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals, though. In the first round against the Detroit Pistons, Towns closed out Game 4 on the road almost single-handedly. He scored twice in the final 90 seconds, including a 27-foot step-back 3-pointer that found nothing but net.
In the Knicks’ series against the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, Towns was an integral part of New York’s attack. His 35-point, 12-rebound performance in Game 1 was the product of giving Indiana some trouble with his diverse ability to score the basketball.
Why Jalen Brunson “can’t compare” KAT to other players
Brunson also spoke to Towns’ playing style, saying it was tough to compare the Dominican-American star to other NBA players.
“Don’t think you can compare him,” Brunson opined. “He shoots the ball so effortlessly, and he can make plays. He has great touch around the rim, so, he’s pretty much his own person. He picks different games of styles of basketball, and kind of makes it into his own.”
Brunson’s five fouls in three quarters in Game 4 vs. Indiana forced Towns to become “the guy” for New York. In response, the big man scored 20 points in the fourth quarter. He finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds, leading the Knicks to one of their two wins in that series.
The two-time All-NBA point guard testified to Towns’ value as a teammate outside of games, as well.
“Having him as a teammate has been really fun. I think that gets overlooked, how good of a teammate he is,” Brunson claimed. “Obviously, he’s a great player…on the court. But the teammate he is and what he brings to the locker room for us is special.”
