The New York Knicks won their first playoff series in over a decade in the 2023 postseason. They lost in the second round to Miami, but it was still an impressive season for the Knicks. It’s clear they are still missing a few key pieces to make themselves a true contender. One league source says that a Karl-Anthony Towns trade to the Knicks is “a matter of when… not if”. 

Karl-Anthony Towns (KAT) was the first overall pick by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2015 NBA draft. The 27-year-old is a New Jersey native and playing for the Knicks would be a homecoming for the three-time all-star. Sources say that New York is expected to make a strong push for Minnesota’s big man this offseason.

Towns and the Knicks are intertwined in a number of ways. He has strong relationships with key members of the Knicks front office and coaching staff. Making the hypothetical trade even that much more realistic.

Tom Thibodeau “Open” To Bringing Karl-Anthony Towns To The Knickshttps://t.co/Vu4BsuHrLL pic.twitter.com/t6GQ0IvScR

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) March 1, 2021

The Knicks are expected to make a strong push for Karl-Anthony Towns this offseason

A Karl-Anthony Towns trade to the Knicks is quite realistic this offseason due to his ties with the team. Leon Rose was Town’s former agent and he is the Knicks’ team President. Additionally, Tom Thibodeau coached Towns for three seasons when he was the head coach of the Timberwolves.

Playing for the Knicks would also give the 2015-16 ROY a chance to be closer to his family. He’s lived in Minnesota ever since being drafted by the Timberwolves. Living closer to his family and playing for the hometown team is something that not all NBA players get the chance to do in their careers.

At 27, Towns is technically still in his prime in terms of NBA standards. The Knicks lost in the second round of the playoffs. Adding a sharp-shooting big man like Towns would be huge for New York’s roster. All this speculation depends on whether Minnesot’as front office has any interest in shopping Towns this offseason.

Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) is questionable for Saturday night’s Game 6 matchup against the Boston Celtics of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals.

Vincent left Game 4 in the fourth quarter after suffering his injury. He finished with 17 points in 28 minutes. As a starter in Game 5, Kyle Lowry replaced the undrafted guard out of UC Santa Barbara.

Per a few NBA betting sites, the Denver Nuggets are the favorite to win the championship. Check out which sportsbooks are showing the Heat with second-shortest odds.

#BOSvsMIA INJURY UPDATE: Gabe Vincent (ankle) is listed as questionable to play in tomorrow night’s Game 6 vs the Celtics.

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) May 26, 2023

In 68 appearances and 34 starts of the regular season, Gabe Vincent averaged career highs of 9.4 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 25.9 minutes per game. Along with logging 2.5 assists per contest, the fourth-year guard also shot 40.2% from the floor and 33.4% outside the arc.

Through 15 starts this postseason, Vincent is averaging 13.1 points, 1.6 boards, 4.1 assists, and 30.8 minutes per game. He’s shooting 41.7% from the floor and 37.5% from deep as well. In Miami’s 128-102 win over Boston in Game 3, Vincent scored a career-high 29 points.

Heat guard Gabe Vincent (left ankle sprain) is questionable for Game 6 matchup against Celtics of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals

Entering Game 6 on Saturday night, the Celtics are 2-5 ATS in their last seven meetings against Miami. The point total has gone over in 11 of Boston’s past 14 road games. And the C’s are 7-1 in their previous eight games played on a Saturday.

Additionally, the Heat are 7-1 in their past eight contests played at home. Miami is 4-0 all time when leading 3-2 in a seven-game series. Miami is also 8-2 ATS in its last 10 games when playing as the underdog. Plus, the total has gone over in 11 of the Heat’s past 16 contests.

Absolutely crazy but true: The Heat and Celtics have faced off in 3 of the last 4 conference finals…

Boston won every game 5 by EXACTLY 13 points.. and Miami has won every game 6. 🤯

(h/t @currypistonn) pic.twitter.com/g1HdgZAhsN

— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 26, 2023

Bettors are hoping the Celtics will become the first NBA team in 151 tries to overcome a 3-0 deficit in a best-of-seven series and win. Boston improved to 5-5 at home this postseason in Game 5. The C’s have to win out to return to the NBA Finals.

According to ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Celtics have an 70.7% chance of winning Game 6 away. Sportsbooks show Miami as a 3-point underdog against Boston.

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Back in last month’s first round of the postseason, Miami produced one of the biggest upsets in NBA history when the No. 8 seed with a 44-38 record, eliminated the No. 1 seed Milwaukee who held the best mark in the league (58-24). However, there’s a real reason behind this, and it goes by the name of Jimmy Butler. 

During that five-game series against the Bucks, the Heat foward averaged 37.6 points on a 59.7% shooting (44.4% from beyond the arc), and added 6.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.8 steals per contest.

Earlier this week, his opponent Jrue Holiday appeared on the “Sideline Stroll w/ Ros” podcast and shared his honest take on how it felt to guard the Miami star in those series.

“It was fun,” he started off by saying. “I played a game to go against the best players. I played defense to play against the best players… While I was in it, I was hot. I’m getting my a** busted. And, then he started talking sh*t… Jimmy is the ultimate competitor.”

However, Holiday went to the extent of hypothetically including legends LeBron James and Michael Jordan into the conversation, saying none of them would’ve been able to defend Butler last month.

“I made those decisions in those moments and I stuck with them and I stuck with the guns,” he expressed with no regrets. “A lot of plays Jimmy made, there was nothing that I could do. There’s nothing that anybody could do. It didn’t matter if it was Brook on him, if it was LeBron James or Michael Jordan on him. It didn’t matter who was on him. Jimmy was playing at a different level.”

Butler’s level has continued throughout the playoffs, as the Heat foward has almost single-handedly taken the Florida franchise all the way to the Conference Finals, currently leading the series 3-2.

“I think this is where all the best players, they show up and they show out,” Butler said after averaging 29.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 0.8 blocks per match so far. “And I’m not saying I’m one of those best players. I just want to be looked at as such.”

Jimmy’s teammates in Miami also share ‘the utmost respect’ for him as a competitor

“I haven’t been here too long, but I’ve always had the utmost respect for him,” Kevin Love said all the way back in February. “Love his game, love what he’s about. I mean, I hate to say arguably, but I think he’s the best closer in the game. And you saw why.”

Check out Butler’s career-high 56-point performance last month against the top-seeded Bucks:

“I think we’re witnessing a guy who continues to be in his prime and is playing at a level of basketball that not many players can get to,” Heat guard Kyle Lowry shared. “And you have to just kind of sometimes sit back and appreciate it.”

His coach Erik Spoelstra said that it’s all about maintaining an elite mentality and never get too comfortable with success.

“I don’t think Jimmy would want me up here ranking this performance or anything,” he said. “He views everything the way a head coach does. He’s not relaxing. He understands what we still have to do, and he understands who we’re facing.”