Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns reveals 2025 difference in Tom Thibodeau

01/02/2025 12:52 AM

The New York Knicks could not have asked for a much better start to the 2025 calendar year as they took a 119-103 win over the Utah Jazz on New Year’s Day even with Jalen Brunson nursing a calf injury. Karl-Anthony Towns continues to dominate for the Knicks, showing the world that New York convincingly won their trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves this past offseason by putting up 31 points and 21 rebounds in a monster performance.

Towns is already 29 years old, and he has overcome a ton of adversity in his life to become the man he is for the Knicks at the moment. And with the passing of time comes greater wisdom — with Towns even crediting head coach Tom Thibodeau for mellowing down and for becoming a more mature version of himself.

“He’s a different man. I like this version going into 2025. You see him smile,” Towns said with a laugh, via SNY’s Knicks Videos on X (formerly Twitter). “I’ve grown since the time when we were together in Minnesota, he’s grown. This game of life, we’re just finding ourselves getting better with time.”

Karl-Anthony Towns talks about Tom Thibodeau:

"He's a different man. I like this version going into 2025. You see him smile"

"I've grown since the time when we were together in Minnesota, he's grown. This game of life, we're just finding ourselves getting better with time" pic.twitter.com/mjtl8nAY3x

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) January 2, 2025

If there’s anyone on the Knicks roster who knows Thibodeau better than anyone, it’s Towns. As one would recall, Thibodeau had already coached Towns prior to this season, as he was the Timberwolves’ head coach for two and a half seasons.

There is no coincidence that Towns has been playing good basketball under a head coach who knows how to deploy him at his best. And the Knicks have been benefitting as a result. With their latest win over the Jazz, they have improved to 24-10 on the season, making good on their promise to be one of the best teams in the league after their busy offseason.

Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks are ascending

The Knicks, despite all the depth issues they’ve been going through all season long, have managed to put out a good account of themselves thus far in the 2024-25 campaign. Karl-Anthony Towns has been unleashed now that he’s back to being a full-time center, and the rest of the Knicks’ core has followed suit.

Jalen Brunson recently put up a 55-point outing in a huge win over the Washington Wizards, Mikal Bridges has been on a tear as of late, punctuated by a 41-point outburst on Christmas Day, while Josh Hart has been filling in whatever gaps the Knicks have. And with Tom Thibodeau coaching with more joy, there should only be more happy times for the Knicks moving forward.

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