Karl-Anthony Towns will match a legend’s franchise record with another double-double.
The Knicks center scored 21 points with 16 boards during Tuesday’s blowout victory over the Bucks, notching his 10th straight double-double — which is one off Willis Reed’s mark to start the 1970-71 season.
And just like that campaign for Reed, Towns is racking up the rebounds while defending an NBA championship.
The Knicks face the Cavaliers on Wednesday at MSG, where Towns can tie Reed.
“I didn’t know that. I just know that this team right now, we’re on a good winning streak, we’re playing good basketball, and that’s the most important thing,” Towns said. “That’s what the fans really want to hear about.”
Towns leads the Eastern Conference in rebounds per game at 13.8.
It’s a much better start than last season, when KAT’s efficiency dipped as he struggled to adjust to Mike Brown’s system.
“It’s just another year with this team and just experience and just another year with a better understanding of what Mike wants and what I can do to help his system,” Towns said.
Taylor Jenkins said coaching the Knicks “just wasn’t meant to be” as he reflected on interviewing for New York’s open gig last year.
“It was a great experience. I obviously spent a lot of time with the front office — Leon [Rose] and his group. Not sure how close it was in the end. It just wasn’t the opportunity at that time,” said Jenkins, who lost to the Knicks on Tuesday as the Bucks head coach.
“Very blessed to be where I am right now. But excited to go through the process of interviewing with the Knicks. Learned a lot. Obviously it was a special year last year for the Knicks. Mike [Brown] did a great job. Learned a lot about this organization, the high standards they had. And obviously the great work that they had done even leading up to last season. So it was a fun process to be a part of. Hopefully I performed well and it just wasn’t meant to be.”
Jenkins and Brown were considered the front-runners for the Knicks job as Rose’s search hit the homestretch.
Jenkins had recently been fired by the Memphis Grizzlies, who played well under his watch but failed to get out of the second round of the playoffs.
The Knicks tried to interview several head coaches under contract, but their requests were rejected by the involved teams.
Jenkins was interviewed once, along with former Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori and South Carolina women’s coach Dawn Staley.
Brown was the only candidate called back for a second interview — which, according to sources, happened after he was already picked for the job.
Jenkins was unemployed for a year before accepting the Bucks job.
It became a total rebuild project in Milwaukee after Giannis Antetokounmpo was traded to the Heat, leaving Jenkins with a bottom-tier roster and a pitiful 1-10 record.
