Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns soaking up ‘priceless’ wisdom from Patrick Ewing
LOS ANGELES — Karl-Anthony Towns is learning from one of the best — Patrick Ewing.
“How dope is that s—? It’s dope as hell,” Towns said. “The blessing and the fact that I can say that I was on a bus with Patrick Ewing and going to games and we talk a bunch and to be around a legend like that.
“You always learn a little bit here and then you ask him for that help and he’s been in the situations, especially here in New York. So his wisdom is priceless and his game is obviously on a Hall of Fame level. So getting a chance to sit with him, talk with him about basketball, about what I can do to be better from my spot, is awesome.”
Ewing, who was hired as a Knicks coaching consultant before the season, attended both games in L.A. last week — losses to the Lakers and Clippers — and was at Sunday’s practice.
He has been to several home and road contests during his first season back with the franchise.
“Patrick has all kinds of experience. Having played in New York, I think understanding New York, and winning at a very high level,” Tom Thibodeau said. “Unfortunately he didn’t win a championship, but he’s a championship player, I saw what he did every day. To carry a franchise the way he did for 15 years, it says a lot about him.”
Jalen Brunson, who suffered a severe ankle sprain last week, left the team for the rest of the road trip to continue his recovery.
The Knicks play three more games on the trip — at Sacramento, Portland and Golden State.
The Knicks said they’ll provide an update on the injury around March 21.
As the Knicks prepare to sign veteran PJ Tucker to a contract while hoping to add toughness and leadership, Miles McBride pushed back on the idea that the team lost some of those traits from last season’s gritty squad.
“I think our team right now is pretty tough,” McBride said. “Throughout the whole season we’ve had some great wins, some tough fight-it-out wins, and we got stops when we needed to get stops. Anybody that adds to it is going to be great.”
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Tucker’s deal wasn’t official yet as of Sunday night.
The Knicks believe he’ll add an enforcer-type personality, but the 39-year-old hasn’t played all season.
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Assuming Tucker’s 10-day contract begins Monday before tipoff against the Kings, he’ll be eligible for five games.
Then the Knicks can sign him to another 10-day contract, waive him, or sign him to a deal for the rest of the season.
“Any time you can get a vet, and at one point I can remember how deadly he was at the corner 3s, No. 1 in the league,” Towns said, “the idea sounds great.”
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Knicks Notes: McBride, Towns, Ewing, Anunoby, Hart
Hoops Rumors
Miles McBride wasn’t happy with his first performance while replacing Jalen Brunson as the Knicks‘ starting point guard, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. McBride, who’s expected to fill that role while Brunson recovers from a sprained right ankle, was limited to seven points while shooting 2-of-13 from the field in Friday’s loss to the Clippers.
“We didn’t win, so any time we don’t win, I don’t think I played well enough. I think anybody can always shoot the ball better. I think defensively there were some plays I could have had, probably could have come up with some more rebounds,” McBride said. “Full complete game, I feel like I could have upped it a lot more.”
The Knicks believe in McBride’s ability to run the offense while Brunson is sidelined, Bondy adds, noting that he did it for five games last season. It was a poor shooting night for the team overall, as New York was thrown off rhythm by L.A.’s switching defense.
“When he’s starting, the ball is in his hands more,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “With the second unit, he was more off the ball and (Cameron Payne) handled more. But Deuce can do it. I’ve seen him have huge games there. So I have a lot of confidence in his ability.”
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