Karl-Anthony Towns breaks silence on Nikola Jokic's intriguing Knicks take
Today at 04:57 AM
Karl-Anthony Towns forced Nikola Jokic into early foul trouble, while Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks' late surge to secure their fifth straight victory. With the three-time NBA MVP sidelined, the Knicks ran away with a 122-112 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
The performance has gained Jokic's admiration. "They're playing really well. They're well-coached, they're pushing the pace, and in the halfcourt, they know what they're doing," the Nuggets superstar said. "So they're a really good team. I think they are top-five candidates for the title—not necessarily the favorites, but definitely contenders."
Karl-Anthony Towns responding to Nikola Jokic’s comments
Jokic's comments reached the New York Knicks' locker room after the game, sparking a response from Karl-Anthony Towns. "I don't want to talk about the future, I want to focus on the present. I want to discuss what we can do right now to be the best team we can be," Towns responded after the game.
Karl-Anthony Towns reacts to Nikola Jokic's comments about the Knicks being a title contender:
"I don't want to talk about the future, I want to talk about the present. I want to talk about what we could do right now and be the best team we can be." pic.twitter.com/ZAY7X3hsc0
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 30, 2025
On Wednesday night, the New York Knicks accomplished a rare feat—sweeping Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets in the regular season. In November, the Knicks demolished the Nuggets 145-118. This time, they followed up with another commanding victory.
Towns forced Jokic into two quick fouls within the first 81 seconds of the game, allowing the Knicks to take early control with a 12-point lead. Jokic, who played just over two minutes in the first quarter, finished with only 17 points, six rebounds, and six assists—far below his usual triple-double performance.
Brunson scored 30 points and dished out 15 assists, tying Richie Guerin’s franchise record for the most 30+ point and 10+ assist games with 11. Meanwhile, OG Anunoby added 23 points for the Knicks, whose explosive offense has now totaled 408 points over their last three games—marking the highest three-game point total in franchise history.
New York dismantling Denver
The Knicks capitalized on every fast-break opportunity, finishing with 25 points on the break. They also scored 23 points off the Nuggets’ 14 giveaways.
The Nuggets struggled to contain the scorching-hot Knicks, who shot 51.6% from the field and recorded 33 assists.
It wasn't just the Knicks’ offense that was firing on all cylinders; their defense was also locking down. During their five-game winning streak, which includes consecutive victories over the Western Conference's No. 3 Memphis and No. 4 Denver, New York ranks first in offense (124.2), tied for sixth in defense (108.6), and boasts the best net rating (15.6) in the NBA.
The Knicks moved to 32-16, staying one game behind the 33-15 Boston Celtics, who routed the Chicago Bulls 122-100, for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns added 14 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, helping the Knicks improve to 7-1 this season when both he and Brunson record double-doubles in the same game.
The Nuggets surged in the third quarter, seizing an eight-point lead with Jamal Murray scoring 12 of his 33 points. Brunson answered with 18 points in the third, leading New York to a 93-86 advantage heading into the final period.
The Knicks’ captain, Jalen Brunson attempted just one shot but recorded seven assists to help seal the win over the Nuggets, who suffered their third consecutive loss to open their extended road trip.
The post Karl-Anthony Towns breaks silence on Nikola Jokic’s intriguing Knicks take appeared first on ClutchPoints.
