Porzingis anticipating 'long rivalry' with Wolves' Towns
New York Knicks phenom Kristaps Porzingis, and Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns are on their way to becoming the Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett of the current generation.
Both drafted in the top four in 2015, both stand 7-feet or taller, and both have improved on their games in their sophomore season, so the two have created a bond that goes beyond the basketball court. With similar playing styles and methods of dominating games, the two big men hit it off in the week leading up to the draft. Porzingis, who hadn’t spent much time in the U.S., said Towns went out of his way to make him feel comfortable in a foreign country.
“I always had a lot of questions for him about college, he had a lot of questions for me coming from Europe,’’ Porzingis told Marc Berman of the New York Post. “We interacted a lot. We’re staying in contact, text a lot. We always look forward to the next opportunity to play each other.”
Wednesday will grant that opportunity for the two 21-year-olds, where a home-and-home series will kick off in Minnesota.
Kristaps, who is posting averages of 20.9 points and 7.1 rebounds and has all of these skills himself, isn’t shy when praising his draft-mate.
“He’s playing at a real high level, he’s going to be a big star in this league and I’m looking forward to having a long rivalry against him,’’ Porzingis said. “He can do anything he wants on the floor. He can shoot from outside, drive from outside, postgame, big strong rebounder.”
Even though he's tallying 21 points and 9.5 rebounds on 48-percent shooting, Towns has been having growing pains acclimating to new head coach Tom Thibodeau’s defensive schemes - putting immense pressure on himself to get the team out of the early-season hole they’ve dug themselves into.
“All these losses fall on my shoulders,” Towns said. “It’s something I have to fix. So far this season it’s been me. Does it make sleeping at night hard? Yeah. I just have to do more. I have to play at a higher level, at a level where we can’t lose.”
Wednesday will be a good time to bring it to that next level for Towns because they’re facing an improved Knicks team, one that had their number both times last season.