The Statue of Liberty must be puffing a victory cigar after the New York Knicks won over the Charlotte Hornets, 119-104, at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the charge with a big double-double of 35 points and 18 rebounds on top of five assists and two steals.
The Hornets simply had no answer for Towns, who scored 19 points in the first half to give the Knicks a comfortable lead. He didn't let up after the break and continued to dominate, displaying the versatility that has made him a five-time All-Star.
In the process, he entered team lore by joining Walt Bellamy, Bob McAdoo, and Willis Reed as the only players in Knicks history with multiple games of at least 35 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists.
Karl-Anthony Towns joins Walt Bellamy (3x), Bob McAdoo (2x), and Willis Reed (2x) as the only Knicks with multiple 35+ pt, 15+ reb, 5+ ast games! https://t.co/AdQ3Kcnlmh pic.twitter.com/X5aZMBwb0k
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) December 4, 2025
The 30-year-old Towns has been impressive in his second stint in the Big Apple, averaging 22.7 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists. While his shooting has gone down to a career-low 46.7%, he remains a legitimate threat every night.
His team-first mindset has also been laudable. He praised Jalen Brunson after their win over the Hornets, even though he was the one who starred for the Knicks.
Brunson finished with 26 points, five assists, and three steals.
The Knicks improved to 14-7, including 11-1 at home. The Hornets, on the other hand, fell to 6-16, including 1-10 on the road.
The Knicks have embraced a different identity under first-year coach Mike Brown. With Towns, Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart playing consistently and the Eastern Conference increasingly becoming an open race, this could be the season when they get over the hump and return to the NBA Finals.
