5 days Ago By Howie Kussoy
The report card is coming. When the Knicks open their first-round series against the Pistons on Saturday, Karl-Anthony Towns’ and Mikal Bridges’ moments will arrive. It was with the postseason in mind that the Knicks were willing to ship away five first-round picks, and with it, the potential to use that draft capital on a bigger star.
It was with a title in mind that Leon Rose was willing to reluctantly part with an integral member of last year’s postseason and the Villanova-bred core (Donte DiVincenzo), along with Julius Randle, to acquire Towns and raise the team’s ceiling as high as it has been in a quarter-century. Bridges won’t shake the baggage that comes along with the increasingly criticized trade without a postseason defined by strong shooting and stronger defense. Towns is the wingman Jalen Brunson needed, the former No.
1 overall pick with five All-Star Game selections who largely has underwhelmed during the postseason — averaging 18.8 points on 46.8 percent shooting in his career versus regular-season averages of 23.
1 points on 52.4 percent shooting — winning his first (two) career playoff series last year..
