Towns silences critics with a stellar performance.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns has heard every bit of criticism thrown his way this season, and after Sunday night's win over the Chicago Bulls, he made it clear that he is not running from any of it.
Towns put together one of his best performances of the season in the 105-99 victory over Chicago, finishing with 28 points and 11 rebounds for his NBA-leading 39th double-double of the year.
He shot 58.8 percent from the field and knocked down three of his four 3-point attempts while coming up with three steals.
When the Bulls briefly took a 95-94 lead in the fourth quarter, it was Towns who answered with six straight points to swing the game back in New York's favor.
After the game, Towns spoke openly about the weight of expectations that have followed him this season and did not shy away from the criticism.
"It's a blessing to have expectations, means we're doing something right," Towns said.
"Last year we did a lot right, fans are expecting even more. My career has been full of pressure, and I understand criticism comes with that when you're not succeeding. Rightfully so."
The Criticism Has Been Loud
The noise around Towns picked up after the Knicks dropped all three games to the Detroit Pistons this season, including a 126-111 loss at Madison Square Garden on February 20.
Charles Barkley went as far as saying Towns does not know how to play basketball, while Shaquille O'Neal called him soft during a postgame interview.
Bleacher Report also named him one of the NBA's stars not living up to his contract, pointing to his $53.1 million salary.
Through 53 games this season, Towns is averaging 19.9 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game on 46.6 percent shooting from the field.
Those are solid numbers for most players, but for a center making max money on a team with title hopes, the bar is just higher.
Getting Back on Track
Sunday's win gave the Knicks their second straight victory after the comeback win over the Rockets on Saturday night, when New York erased an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit.
The back-to-back wins have the Knicks sitting at 37-21 and holding the third seed in the Eastern Conference behind the Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics.
Jalen Brunson added 19 points and nine assists against Chicago while Landry Shamet chipped in 16 off the bench, but it was Towns who carried the load when the game was on the line.
What It Will Take
For New York to make another deep playoff run, Towns has to be the player he showed up as on Sunday.
That means using his size in the post when he has a mismatch, staying locked in on defense, and being a reliable second option next to Brunson when games get tight.
The talent has never been a question with Towns. It has always been about consistency.
"My whole career has been based on me getting that ring and winning," Towns added. "And I understand more than ever now in my career that winning trumps everything. It's gonna take all of us to win a championship."
The Knicks head to Cleveland on Tuesday to face the Cavaliers at 7:30 p.m. ET.