Knicks Coach Makes Blunt Admission After Karl-Anthony Towns' Preseason Debut

What was normally a ho-hum preseason game for the New York Knicks had an extra buzz on Sunday as fans wanted to catch the team's new star acquisition, Karl-Anthony Towns, in action.

In his first game in a Knicks jersey, Towns had 10 points on 2-of-7 shooting and four rebounds in 15 minutes, helping New York escape the Charlotte Hornets, 111-109.

The Knicks acquired Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a surprise three-team trade that also involved the Hornets. The 28-year-old All-Star himself was caught off-guard, posting a cryptic tweet .

Towns, one of the league's most versatile big men, will be a central piece for the Knicks, joining the core of Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and fellow newcomer Mikal Bridges.

After defeating the Hornets, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau gave an honest assessment of his souped-up unit.

"I figured it would be a little choppy, and there are little areas we need to clean up," said Thibodeau in a report from the Associated Press . "They need time, obviously, so I wanted them to get their feet wet.

"The opener is right around the corner, and we need to get to it."

The 66-year-old Thibodeau is notorious for giving heavy minutes to his main players.

Last season, Towns averaged 32.7 minutes per game—his fewest since his rookie year. He tallied 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per outing.

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