Indeed, on Tuesday night, the New York Knicks made NBA history in a momentous game. It was capped by the fact that Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns both recorded triple-doubles, an accomplishment achieved by only 17 other pairs of teammates in the league’s 75-year history. The Knicks emerged victorious with a 128-113 win over the Dallas Mavericks, despite the absence of their injured All-Star, Jalen Brunson.
Right from the jump, Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns found an awe-inspiring rhythm. Collectively, their teamwork resulted in assists on the team’s first six buckets. Towns celebrated his triple-double milestone halfway through the fourth quarter. He was a force all over the court with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. Hart was able to accomplish his first career triple-double. He achieved this incredible milestone late in the third quarter while racking up a triple double of 16 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists.
"Now it's full circle and I'm in that same situation with [Towns], and it was really dope. It was a blessing." – Josh Hart
Hart’s accomplishment was an incredible breakthrough. Not only did he achieve his first-ever triple-double in his NBA career, but he became the new Knicks’ franchise leader for most triple-doubles in a season with nine. Towns on the other hand, kept adding to his still-growing collection on the way to his third career triple double.
The Knicks capitalized on Dallas's defensive vulnerabilities, as the Mavericks' big men struggled to contain backdoor cuts. The Knicks displayed beautiful ball movement, dishing out 40 assists on 53 made field goals. This was particularly incredible considering the Mavericks were short-handed, missing both Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
Brunson typically has the ball on a remarkable 8.7 minutes per game. Even in his absence, the team somehow managed to still put together one of his best works. Hart and Towns were more than up to the task. They made NBA history as the first Knicks teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game!
"I was in L.A. when [James and Ball] did it, and that sounded really dope," – Josh Hart
Hart was filled with inspiration as he thought back on his accomplishment. He recalled that LeBron James and Lonzo Ball had done the same back in 2018.
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