Knicks Win Opener; Towns Plays Through Quad Strain

The New York Knicks opened the 2025–26 season at Madison Square Garden with a 119–111 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Karl‑Anthony Towns, playing through a right quadriceps strain reported as a Grade 2, was listed inconsistently before the game but logged 31 minutes and finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and two assists. Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and Josh Hart (lumbar spasms) were ruled out and OG Anunoby was limited, forcing lineup adjustments and heavier minutes for bench bigs such as Guerschon Yabusele. Towns said he is still “figuring out” his role in Mike Brown’s faster, spacing-focused offense, which Brown acknowledged will take time, and the team plans to manage starter minutes to preserve players for the postseason. Despite early injuries, offseason additions including Towns and Mikal Bridges and veteran depth keep analysts and simulations projecting the Knicks as one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams and legitimate Finals contenders.