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Karl-Anthony Towns starting to find his stride with the Knicks this season.<\/p>\n
Heading into this season, the New York Knicks<\/a> were seen as a heavy favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. As they begin their postseason push, one former player broke down a major point of emphasis for them in their efforts to go on another deep run.<\/p>\n In his second season with the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a> has become a bit of a polarizing figure in New York. A lot of the things that caused issues for him in Minnesota, largely his defense, have started to become apparent again with his new team. That said, the All-Star big has put together an impressive string of performances coming out of the break.<\/p>\n In their latest matchup, the Knicks picked up a 105-99 road win over the Chicago Bulls<\/a>. KAT was a standout player in this victory, finishing with<\/a> 28 points and 11 rebounds on 10-for-17 shooting from the field.<\/p>\n Following this outing, Kendrick Perkins went on ESPN\u2019s \u201cGet Up\u201d on February 23rd to give his thoughts on the Knicks. He believes New York featuring Towns as a prominent player is crucial for them potentially reaching the finals.<\/p>\n \u201cIf they use this recipe of using Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks actually got a legit chance of going to the NBA Finals,\u201d Perkins said. \u201cKarl-Anthony Towns is the most important player on this team, and they got to continue to find ways to feature him in the offense.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf they use this recipe \u2026 the Knicks actually got a legit chance of going to the NBA Finals.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2014@KendrickPerkins<\/a> on the Knicks \ud83c\udf7f <\/p>\n Karl-Anthony Towns Speaks on Confidence Level After Knicks\u2019 Latest Win<\/p>\n Playing in such a big market like New York can take a toll on a player if they aren\u2019t able to keep themselves in the right frame of mind. In the case of Towns, he looks to be in a good space mentally as the real ramp-up for the postseason begins.<\/p>\n While speaking with the home broadcast against the win over the Bulls, Towns was asked if his teammates featuring him has provided a confidence boost. He shifted the conversation to say he is feeling good on the floor because of the diligent work he continues to put in behind the scenes.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s where my confidence has grown from,\u201d Towns said postgame<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s not from touching the ball in the game it\u2019s from the times I\u2019m touching the basketball with no lights, no fans in an empty gym. I\u2019m extremely confident in my game, I\u2019m extremely confident mentally.\u201d<\/p>\n Knicks Forward Praises Karl-Anthony Towns for Recent Strong Play<\/p>\n Media members aren\u2019t the only ones taking note of how Towns has looked for the Knicks as of late. Amid his stellar play, some of his teammates have also taken the time to praise him for his efforts on both ends of the floor.<\/p>\n After his strong showing against the Bulls, Knicks forward Josh Hart<\/a> chimed in on how KAT has stepped up. He noted his number being called more has been a positive thing, while also noting how engaged he\u2019s been on the defensive end.<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever you\u2019re making shots or getting plays called for you, you feel more involved, you feel more in the flow of the game,\u201d Josh Hart said<\/a>. \u201cSometimes, for a player, that\u2019s all you really need to get back on track. He gave us a lot of energy today and yesterday by making shots, but also defensively he brought it yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n As the primary offensive option behind Jalen Brunson<\/a>, Towns\u2019 play will be a make-or-break factor for the Knicks in their quest for a finals appearance.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tKevin McCormick<\/a> is a veteran sports writer covering the NBA for Heavy.com. After writing for Heavy briefly in 2022, he’s returned to the publication in 2026. McCormick brings with him over seven years of experience writing about the NBA in a newsroom and served as a credentialed reporter of the Philadelphia 76ers for 97.3 ESPN, ClutchPoints, and On SI. More about Kevin McCormick<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Knicks\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t