Feb 3, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates a play with guard Jordan Clarkson (00) and guard Tyler Kolek (13) against the Washington Wizards during the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images Rafael Suanes-Imagn Images

Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns Already Thinking About Playoffs

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Feb 28, 2026 4:00 PM ET

The New York Knicks just wrapped up a three-game road trip, going 2-1. After a rough shooting night against the Cleveland Cavaliers, they bounced back against the Milwaukee Bucks in a game that got Karl Anthony Towns talking about something bigger.

In a postgame interview, Towns spoke about what this win means for New York's playoff mentality heading into late April.

"It's important to battle through adversity and you know when you're in a playoff setting you may lose one you got to get the next one and we're doing a good job of showing that we could bounce back quick, so it's a it's a good sign for us, but you know consistency is everything. So as long as we could keep building off this momentum keep building off this mindset, we'll be the best thing we could be when it comes to late April," Towns said.

"It's important to battle thru adversity; when you're in a playoff setting you may lose one, you gotta get next…Show we can bounce back quick…but consistency…keep building off this…be the best team we can be come late April"

– KAT as Knicks beat Bucks after cratering vs Cavs pic.twitter.com/8RDhjsJmUU
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 28, 2026

The context behind that quote matters. Just days earlier, the Knicks shot 10-of-37 from three against Cleveland, a flat performance that felt out of place for a team with Eastern Conference title hopes. Getting back on track, even against a weakened opponent, was necessary.

Towns finished with 17 points and 13 rebounds. Jalen Brunson poured in 27 points, including 22 in the first quarter alone. OG Anunoby shot 8-of-10 for 24 points. The Bucks were shorthanded without Giannis and well below .500, so the 127-98 final says more about the Knicks getting their rhythm back than anything else.

Karl-Anthony Towns Knicks Playoff Outlook

That rhythm, though, is exactly what Towns was pointing to. It is not about one win. It is about building the right habits before the playoffs get here, and KAT seems locked in on that idea right now.

He had averaged over 19 points per game in February while shooting around 54% from the field. The mindset he is describing, bounce back quick and keep building, is what separates good regular season teams from ones that can actually go deep in April.

The real measuring stick comes over the next few weeks. Tougher opponents, higher stakes, and less margin for the kind of shooting night the Knicks had in Cleveland. That stretch will tell us far more about this team than a blowout of a depleted Milwaukee squad ever could.

New York hosts the San Antonio Spurs next, and the games that follow will be the ones worth watching. If KAT's mindset is genuine, it will show up there.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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