Knicks’ Towns, Hart Questionable for MLK Day Game Against Hawks

NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart participated in practice Sunday but remain questionable for the New York Knicks‘ Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Towns has missed the last two games due to a right thumb injury sustained during Friday’s home loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while Hart is nursing a neck issue.

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau expressed cautious optimism about both players. “They went through practice, and we’ll see where they are tomorrow,” Thibodeau said Sunday. “They were fine.” Teammate Jalen Brunson praised Hart’s resilience, saying, “Being able to play through pain, that’s just who [Hart] is, and he’s always been like that.”

Hart, who is averaging 14.2 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists this season, has been a key contributor for the Knicks. Despite his injury, Thibodeau noted Hart’s toughness, stating, “Normally, he’s not one of those guys that is gonna stay down long. If he can go, he goes.”

The Knicks, currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 27-16 record, are coming off a 116-99 loss to the Timberwolves. Hart finished that game with 12 points, nine rebounds, and three steals but appeared to aggravate his shoulder during a collision under the basket.

Meanwhile, the Hawks will be without Zaccharie Risacher (adductor strain) and Larry Nance Jr. (hand), while Trae Young (Achilles) and Jalen Johnson (shoulder) are listed as probable. The game will be played at Madison Square Garden, where the Knicks hold a 13-8 home record this season.

Brunson emphasized the significance of playing on MLK Day, calling it “a privilege to play this game in this league.” He added, “It’s more of a privilege to play on days like this. You play on Christmas Day, on MLK Day, it means a lot and especially what [Martin Luther King Jr.] stood for and what he believed in.”

Thibodeau echoed Brunson’s sentiments, stating, “I think it’s an important day for not only our league, but our country. All the things that Martin Luther King stood for, it’s withstood the test of time.”

The Knicks will face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday following Monday’s game against the Hawks.