Karl-Anthony Towns Reportedly Had 'Procedures' for Injuries After Knicks' Playoff Exit
Karl-Anthony Towns reportedly fought through multiple injuries that required procedures as the New York Knicks tried to qualify for the NBA Finals.
ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported Wednesday that "Towns had the injuries reexamined and chose to immediately have procedures so he would have the most time possible to recover before next season."
He suffered a bruised left knee during the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indiana Pacers after suffering ligament damage in his finger during New York's second-round win over the Boston Celtics.
To Towns' credit, he didn't miss a game during the Knicks' postseason run.
He averaged a double-double in all three rounds with 19.7 points and 10.0 rebounds per night in the first-round win over the Detroit Pistons, 19.8 points and 12.7 rebounds in the second-round win over Boston, and 24.8 points and 12.2 rebounds in the loss to the Pacers.
The University of Kentucky product was a bright spot in the loss to Indiana, with 35 points in Game 1 before taking over in the fourth quarter of the Game 3 win.
Towns poured in 20 points in the fourth quarter of Game 3 as the Knicks overcame a 20-point deficit to secure the win and get back into the series. It ultimately wasn't enough to overcome a strong Pacers side with Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam leading the way, but Towns looked like a franchise building block at times.
At least he did on offense. The Athletic's James L. Edwards III and Fred Katz reported players and coaches weren't pleased with his "defensive habits" during his first season with the team.
It was notable considering New York could be facing an offseason of change after firing head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Whether that means a headline trade or adding depth pieces in free agency, the roster figures to look different for the new head coach as well. That doesn't mean Towns will be moved, but his defensive limitations could impact the overall roster-building approach.
The front office can at least take solace in knowing he will be relatively healthy after he spent the offseason undergoing multiple procedures to address his injuries.
