Karl-Anthony Towns had a fun little game of KAT and mouse going back and forth with the Wagner brothers during Tuesday’s blowout win against the Magic.
Towns feistily jawed with the big-man duo of Franz and Mo Wagner throughout the first half of the Knicks’ 121-106 NBA Cup-advancing victory at the Garden.
The four-time All-Star finished with a team-high 23 points, 15 rebounds, two blocked shots and a plus-25 rating across 36 minutes.
“NBA Cup, bringing the best out of all of us,” Towns said with a smile. “Oh, I was dead-ass [serious]. Bringing the best. NBA Cup, win or go home, it was like a playoff game. …
“NBA Cup, we’re competitors. This is a high-level competition moment, and the game means a little more. So go out there and find a way to win.”
Towns already had a double-double (14 and 10) by halftime, including flying through the paint for a one-handed stuff off a feed from Jalen Brunson in the first quarter.
There also was one comical sequence in which Towns was posting up and backing in against Mo Wagner.
Towns paused to complain to the refs with a shrug after absorbing some hard contact before pivoting and sinking a fade-away jumper on the baseline.
“Oh you’ve never seen that? A bucket’s a bucket,” Towns quipped. “Defense gave me baseline, I took baseline. I got a fade-away jumper. A bucket’s a bucket.”
Late in the second quarter, Towns was fouled by Mo Wagner, and both players received technical fouls after Wagner clapped his hands and Towns returned the gesture.
While with the Timberwolves last season, Towns also had thrown down a posterizing dunk on Wagner.
“I think overall, I think the physicality of the game is changing. I think that’s good,” Tom Thibodeau said. “I think it’s good that there’s more of a balance to it. It’ll bring the best out in the competition. And that’s what I think people want to see. They want to see people compete.
“Karl’s a physical guy. As long as it’s consistent and it’s the same way for both teams, I don’t mind that at all. As a matter of fact, I like it.”
Towns also collected Josh Hart’s full-court heave and made a deft touch pass to Mikal Bridges for a buzzer-beating score at the end of the first half.
“I just want to be the best version of myself for this team,” Towns said. “It’s not about getting assists. It’s how I can help this team win.”
Franz Wagner finished with a game-high 30 points for the Magic, while his older brother contributed 19 points off the bench.
