{"id":696645,"date":"2026-04-03T22:01:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-03T22:01:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/696645\/"},"modified":"2026-04-03T22:01:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T22:01:20","slug":"knicks-downgrade-karl-anthony-towns-with-new-injury-before-nba-playoffs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/696645\/","title":{"rendered":"Knicks Downgrade Karl-Anthony Towns With New Injury Before NBA Playoffs"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the New York Knicks<\/a> prepare for their matchup on Friday against the Chicago Bulls<\/a>, injury concerns are beginning to surface. Coming off a 130\u2013119 win over the Memphis Grizzlies<\/a>, the Knicks are looking to carry that momentum forward, led by Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a>, who recorded 20 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in the victory. It was an impressive all-around performance, and the team hopes to build on it heading into the Bulls game.<\/p>\n

Currently sitting as the No. 3 seed in a competitive Eastern Conference, the Knicks are aiming to strengthen their position among the league\u2019s top teams and make a serious championship push this season.<\/p>\n

However, injuries remain a concern, as Towns has been downgraded to questionable with a right elbow injury<\/a> on New York’s injury report (h\/t Tommy Beer, Knicks Centric). The update follows earlier issues, as he also dealt with right knee soreness earlier in March.<\/p>\n

However, the right elbow issue marks a new development for Towns and it is unclear when he suffered the setback.<\/p>\n

Towns\u2019 downgrade is a significant setback for the New York Knicks, as he remains a cornerstone of the team alongside superstar guard Jalen Brunson<\/a>. His absence would take away valuable strength on the interior, along with his rebounding presence and scoring versatility.<\/p>\n

In response, the Knicks will likely rely more on Mitchell Robinson for extended minutes, while also leaning on Josh Hart to take on a larger role in cleaning up the glass.<\/p>\n

Even with the injury concern, Towns has been exceptional throughout the season. In 72 games, the 30-year-old is averaging 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game, while shooting an efficient 49.6% from the field and 36.8% from 3-point range.<\/p>\n

His ability to contribute both inside and from beyond the arc has been vital to the team\u2019s success. With his consistent production playing a key role, his availability will be crucial as the Knicks aim to maintain momentum in the East.<\/p>\n

\"New<\/p>\n

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32)\u00a9 Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

(\u00a9 Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Towns has developed into one of the NBA<\/a>\u2019s premier centers since being selected No. 1 overall in the 2015 NBA Draft. He has validated that status with six All-Star selections, three All-NBA honors, and both Rookie of the Year and All-Rookie Team recognition during the 2015\u201316 season.<\/p>\n

Widely regarded as one of the best shooting big men in league history, Towns owns a 39.8% career mark from 3-point range. His offensive versatility allows him to score in the post, attack off the dribble, and stretch the floor, making him a constant mismatch. He is also an elite rebounder.<\/p>\n

Towns signed a four-year, $220.4 million designated veteran extension in 2022, which runs through the 2027\u201328 season. His long-term deal underscores his importance, as the Knicks view him as a foundational piece for their future.<\/p>\n

Related: Timberwolves Announce Anthony Edwards Injury Update After Pistons Game<\/a><\/p>\n

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports<\/a> on Apr 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA<\/a> section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As the New York Knicks prepare for their matchup on Friday against the Chicago Bulls, injury concerns are…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":696646,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3768],"tags":[7,329,1409,288,327,563,304,177,1247,6,1136,191,3810,3806],"class_list":{"0":"post-696645","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-knicks","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-chicago-bulls","10":"tag-eastern-conference","11":"tag-jalen-brunson","12":"tag-josh-hart","13":"tag-karl-anthony-towns","14":"tag-knicks","15":"tag-memphis-grizzlies","16":"tag-mitchell-robinson","17":"tag-nba","18":"tag-new-york","19":"tag-new-york-knicks","20":"tag-newyork","21":"tag-newyorkknicks"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116343033129073100","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/696645","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=696645"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/696645\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/696646"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=696645"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=696645"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=696645"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}