Ariel Hukporti out four-to-six weeks

Tom Thibodeau used OG Anunoby’s absence from the lineup to take a look — for a few minutes, at least — at Karl-Anthony Towns at power forward with rookie Ariel Hukporti at center Tuesday night against the Raptors.  It could be a precursor to playing Towns and former starting center Mitchell Robinson in tandem once Robinson finally is cleared to make his regular-season debut following May ankle surgery.  Towns had shifted back to the middle this year with the Knicks, after mostly manning the No. 4 power forward spot the previous two seasons in Minnesota after the Timberwolves had acquired All-Star center Rudy Gobert.  “Just a tall lineup, and it’s gonna be exciting to kind of explore that lineup,” Towns said about the possible configuration after Friday’s practice in Tarrytown. “It should give me … I have some familiarity with it with Rudy, so it’ll be something that I’ll tap into that kind of potential well.” -via New York Post / February 9, 2025