MIAMI (AP) 鈥� Someone asked coach Tom Thibodeau before New York's game Wednesday what else he's looking to get from Karl-Anthony Towns as this season goes along.
Thibodeau didn't sound worried.
A couple hours later, Towns showed why.
In only his fourth game with the Knicks, Towns went wild 鈥� 44 points, by far the most by any New York player in this still-young season, leading his club to a 116-107 win in Miami.
He might be a perfect fit into the decades-long Knicks-Heat rivalry. Towns averages 25.4 points in his career in games at Miami, his second-highest road average against any opponent. He averages 25.8 points in games at Indiana.
鈥淭he weather,鈥� Towns told MSG Network after the game, when asked why he likes games in Miami so much. 鈥淚 was in Minnesota. It's cold. It's hot here. I like that.鈥�
Towns, traded by Minnesota to New York as camps were opening about a month ago in the deal that sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves, wasn't off to a bad start to the season by any measure. His first three games: 12 points, 21 points and 13 points, with two double-doubles. Not eyepopping, but not bad, either.
Game 4 of his New York career was different from the get-go.
He had 24 by halftime, kept rolling in the second half, was 17 of 25 from the floor, grabbed 13 rebounds and had the fourth-most points ever by a Knick against the Heat in the 173rd game between the clubs. New York has won 88, Miami 85.
鈥淚 love his approach because he's not forcing anything,鈥� Thibodeau said. 鈥淗e's letting the game come to him. I want him to be assertive and everything, but I want him to let the game come to him. He's a very gifted scorer, as you saw tonight. ... He can hurt you a lot of different ways.鈥�
There's 78 games to go, but Towns already has an appreciation for the Knicks and what's possible this season.
鈥淭hey're gritty. They find a way to win. They never quit,鈥� Towns said. 鈥淏ringing that New York mentality every single night, it's something that you recognize when you get to live in that kind of culture.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
