Fans could not help but see the irony in Karl-Anthony Towns getting injured Saturday during the New York Knicks’ game against the Chicago Bulls.
Towns left the contest with just over a minute left in the fourth quarter at the United Center in Chicago, Ill. The 4-time All-Star came up gimpy after finishing a fastbreak layup through contact. He headed to the locker room shortly after (video here).
The game also happened to be played on Derrick Rose Night. Rose played four seasons as a member of the Knicks. Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks’ current head coach, also coached the Bulls during Rose’s prime years.
DROSE & THIBS!
That coach/player relationship is special 🥹 pic.twitter.com/WTgqg1zkQH
— NBA (@NBA) January 5, 2025
Several fans pointed out how eerily fitting it was for Thibs to seemingly overplay one of his stars to the point of injury during Derrick Rose Night.
KAT hurt his knee at the end of a 4th quarter in a blowout on Derrick rose night and Thibs is his coach pic.twitter.com/tuFNwDAS8O
— 🗽🗽 (@Bruns0n0wnsU) January 5, 2025
KAT getting hurt in garbage mins on Derrick Rose night when being coached my Thibs is ironic
— BullsMuse (@BullsMuse_) January 5, 2025
Thibs running players into the ground on Derrick Rose Day the jokes write themselves pic.twitter.com/B3dkDLqNmn
— OG Anunoby Addict (@PlayoffBoundNYK) January 5, 2025
thibs star playing with a knee injury in the united center pic.twitter.com/aBsQKdQ7Tp
— tyrese (with a masters) 🎄 (@londonstheory) January 5, 2025
The Knicks were playing Saturday on the second night of a back-to-back after playing an intense interconference clash against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Towns had played 42 minutes against the Thunder before logging 37 minutes in the 139-126 loss to the Bulls.
Thibodeau has developed a reputation for relying too heavily on his starters to the point of wearing them down. The Knicks trailed the Bulls by as many as 17 points in the final few minutes of Saturday’s game. Thibs still kept Towns in late despite the lopsided score.
