Before the 2024-25 NBA season began, the New York Knicks shocked the basketball world when they traded for Karl-Anthony Towns (via the Minnesota Timberwolves).
Towns had spent each of his first nine seasons in Minnesota.
After the deal, Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball predicted that the Knicks had enough to compete with the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference (via The WAE Show in October).
Ball: “I feel like the Knicks got better. Since they got rid of Hartenstein, they needed a big… DiVincenzo is good for them too though, but it’s like they got Bridges now so.”
DMo also asked: “Do you guys think that this is enough to compete with the Celtics?”
Ball responded: “Yeah.”
So far, Ball has been proven correct, as the Knicks are currently up 2-1 on the Celtics in their second-round playoff series.
Before getting blown out in Game 3 (at home), the Knicks won each of the first two games on the road in Boston.
Via Bleacher Report (after Game 2): “KNICKS’ COMEBACKS VS. CELTICS THIS SERIES HAVE BEEN UNREAL
IT’S NOT OVER TILL IT’S OVER”
KNICKS’ COMEBACKS VS. CELTICS THIS SERIES HAVE BEEN UNREAL 😱
IT’S NOT OVER TILL IT’S OVER 🍿 pic.twitter.com/1hqITPNuhX
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 8, 2025
Towns was also an incredible addition to the roster, as he made his fifth NBA All-Star Game.
Game 4 of the series will be on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
As for Ball, the former UCLA star returned to action this past season after missing part of three years due to injury.
He has also spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans.
