Karl-Anthony Towns Joins Elite Knicks Company

Karl-Anthony Towns is already re-writing sections of the New York Knicks‘ history books only five games into his metropolitan career.

Fresh off a 21-point, 11-rebound showing in the Knicks‘ 128-98 win over the Detroit Pistons, Towns not only registered his fourth consecutive double-double but joins elite New York company: after Friday, Towns is only the sixth Knick to record at least four double-doubles within the first five games of his Manhattan tenure.

Ironically enough, Towns joins one of the primary pieces that led to his New York inclusion, Julius Randle, in that department, as well as Walt Bellamy, Spencer Haywood, DeAndre Jordan, and Zach Randolph.

Towns’ scoring tally was part of another, more cummulative bit of Knicks history: Thursday marked the first time since 1989 where each of the five New Yorks starters scored at least 10 points. Jalen Brunson led the way with 36 tallies in the blowout effort.

Though Towns struggled in his early turns as a Knick, he has found a rhythm over the last two games, which have produced New York’s first winning streak of the season. Towns has earned 65 points and 24 rebounds combined in wins over Detroit and Miami while shooting over 58 percent from the field and providing sterling defense.

Fellow Knicks newcomer Mikal Bridges lauded Towns’ instant improvement on the defensive end in a report from Steve Popper of Newsday.

“The big is in a lot of actions,” Bridges noted. “Hearing him with the ball-screen coverage has made everybody and, personally me, just better on the ball because I know there’s a screen.”

To that point, the Knicks (3-2) faced no threat from the woebegone Pistons thanks to a strong defensive effort that forced 22 turnovers. Towns also had two steals and a block in the game, which also featured a 39-13 advantage after the opening period.

Towns has a long way to go to catch the prolific double-double earners in Knicks history: Bellamy holds the record with 69 in a season as well as the longest streak with 10 in at least two categories at 44, both tallied during the 1965-66 season. Towns’ next chance to eat into that margin lands on Monday when the Knicks face the Houston Rockets.

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