Karl-Anthony Towns' dream breakout may have turned into a nightmare for the Knicks

The New York Knicks are set to face the Detroit Pistons but may be without a major contributor. Last night, it was reported that center Karl-Anthony Towns is dealing with a sprained left wrist and is listed as questionable for tonight's matchup. Towns is coming off a stellar performance against the Miami Heat, where he recorded 44 points and 13 rebounds on 68 percent shooting, helping the Knicks secure a 116-107 victory.

“I love his approach because he’s not forcing anything,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau said of Towns’ recent form. “He’s got the skills of a guard in a center’s body…the more this team goes through things together, the better he’ll get.”

Towns has been crucial for the Knicks, stepping up after news that starting center Mitchell Robinson will be out until late December or early January due to a delayed rehab process from foot surgery. Backup center Precious Achiuwa is also sidelined for at least two more weeks with a strained left hamstring sustained in the preseason. Averaging 22.5 points and 11.3 rebounds across four games, Towns has adapted well to becoming a primary scoring option alongside Jalen Brunson. Despite speculation that heavy minutes under Thibodeau may have contributed to his injury, Towns is actually logging a career-low 31.8 minutes per game.

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The Knicks have very little depth behind Karl-Anthony Towns

If Towns is rested, Jericho Sims is set to step into a starting role with increased minutes due to the team’s lack of depth at center. Now in his fourth season, Sims is averaging 2.0 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.0 minutes off the bench. Coach Thibodeau has also given rookie Ariel Hukporti some opportunities, highlighting the young center’s athleticism and defensive capabilities.

The 2-2 Knicks will face a Pistons squad struggling with a 1-4 record. The Knicks will have to contend with Detroit’s frontcourt, including Jalen Duren (9.2 rebounds) and Tobias Harris (8.4 rebounds), who may pose a challenge if Towns is unavailable for tonight's game.