Karl-Anthony Towns finally delivered the kind of performance New York Knicks fans had been waiting for. On Monday night, in a 119–102 victory over the Washington Wizards, the star center erupted for 33 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists, marking his best outing of the 2025–26 season. After a slow start under new head coach Mike Brown, Towns looked every bit like the dominant force who led the Knicks to last year’s Eastern Conference Finals.
Towns punished the Wizards frontcourt, overpowering both Alex Sarr and Marvin Bagley III in the paint. The performance not only gave the Knicks their fifth win of the season but also pushed Towns past Luka Dončić on the NBA’s all-time list for games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, according to StatMuse.
While Towns entered the league three years earlier than Dončić, surpassing him in this category remains a meaningful milestone. Dončić is considered one of the league’s all-time great stat producers, and passing him highlights the consistency of Towns’ production since entering the NBA.
The Knicks star now sits 15th on the all-time leaderboard for 30-point, 10-rebound performances. Everyone above him on that list is either already a Hall of Famer or well on their way. Among active players, Towns ranks seventh, behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokić, and Kevin Durant a group that defines the modern era of dominance.
Even before Monday’s explosion, Towns had quietly been productive. He has recorded six double-doubles in his first seven games of the season, showing that his all-around impact has remained steady even when his scoring dipped. The difference against the Wizards was his shot efficiency and aggression. After beginning the year shooting under 40 percent from the field, Towns finally looked comfortable within Mike Brown’s new offensive system.
Adjusting to a new coaching style can take time, especially for a star used to playing a certain way. The Knicks’ decision to bring in Brown signaled their desire to refine a team that already reached the conference finals last season. Monday’s game may have marked the turning point, not just for Towns individually, but for the Knicks’ evolving offense as a whole.
If Towns can sustain this level of efficiency and assertiveness, the Knicks could be poised to reclaim their place among the Eastern Conference elite. His next test comes Wednesday night, when New York faces his former team, the Minnesota Timberwolves a matchup that promises emotion, intensity, and another opportunity for Towns to extend his dominance.
