Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks was a significant key in the team’s 145-113 win against the Washington Wizards on Sunday. Towns led the team in scoring and rebounding with 26 and 16, respectively. The NBA star outworked everyone on the boards and had 12 defensive rebounds, earning him the Defensive Player of the Game from head coach Mike Brown.
All-Star guard Jalen Brunson added 23 points on 47.4% shooting. The Knicks were able to build an early lead, which allowed others to have a chance to get some action. Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, Mitchell Robinson, Mohamed Diawara and Tyler Kolek scored in double figures.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32)© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images
(© Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images)
Following the contest, Towns recorded his 50th double-double of the 2025-26 NBA season. This earned him a spot in the Knicks’ history books as the seventh player to record at least 50 double-doubles in a single season.
He joined Patrick Ewing, Willis Reed, Willie Naulls, Johnny Green and Walt Bellamy. KAT is also the first player since David Lee (2008-09/2009-10) to reach such a feat.
The NBA star leads the league in double-doubles this season. Before the Knicks’ game against the Wizards, the big man averaged 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds through 66 games.
Mike Brown Credits Karl-Anthony Towns’ Defensive Activity
Towns isn’t the best defensive star in the league. However, he has shown significant improvement in his defensive activity as of late. Against the Wizards, Brown credited how dynamic the six-time All-Star was.
“Good win, our Defensive Player of the Game was KAT,” the head coach said. “He had 12 [defensive] rebounds, a couple of deflections and a steal, and he was really good in the 50-50 ball area.
“One of the things that we’ve been talking to him about is [to] continue putting [his] chest in front of the ball in pick-and-roll and DHO (dribble-hand-off) situations. He did a fantastic job with that tonight.”
Over the past three games, Towns has been on a tear in scoring and rebounding. During that stretch, the Knicks star averaged 21.7 points and 12.7 rebounds. Defensively, the big man has been lively, as he averaged 1.7 steals.
Not only is KAT’s offense valuable to New York, but his defensive activity is also crucial to the team’s success.
The Knicks are eyeing to secure a top spot in the Eastern Conference standings ahead of the postseason. The team is 47-25 and is the third-best team in the conference. The playoffs are near, and securing homecourt advantage could work in their favor.
Related: Knicks Announce Karl-Anthony Towns Status Update Before Nets Game
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.