“It is what it is” is what Karl-Anthony Towns said when discussing the thumb injury he sustained less than a week ago. Despite the player’s neutral response, an official diagnosis revealed the ailment to be no joke, which in turn would have raised questions about his availability for future games. With the Knicks next set to go up against the Atlanta Hawks, aka the team against whom they hold a 4-6 win record, the presence of the star player would be needed more than ever. Unfortunately, there isn’t too much good news awaiting Knicks fans hoping for Towns’ quick recovery.

According to an Injury update by ‘New York Basketball’, Karl-Anthony Towns continues to be listed as ‘Questionable’. This places the player’s availability on 50-50 odds. Furthermore, it also reveals that the recovery from the bone chip in his wrist, and the sprained right thumb, has not progressed too far. Towns will have some company on the sideline, however. Josh Hart is also listed as ‘Questionable’ as he recovers from his neck ailment. Meanwhile, Mitchell Robinson, who hasn’t played a single game this season, will continue remaining ‘OUT’, alongside 2024 draft pick Kevin McCullar Jr.

Karl-Anthony Towns sustained his sprained right thumb during the Knicks-Pistons matchup held around a week ago. At that time, Towns was able to play through the injury. He ended up scoring 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 assists in 43 minutes! However, by the time the next game approached, Towns was listed as ‘Questionable’. He was eventually declared ‘OUT’ right before the game’s commencement. The same happened before the Timberwolves matchup too, making Towns miss his 2 consecutive game. Even though reports revealed that Towns attended the practice session on Sunday, that still does not guarantee his availability status.

While the Knicks deal with their injury woes, so do the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young continues to be listed as ‘Probable’, indicating good progress from his right rib contusion recovery. Jalen Johnson is also listed as ‘Probable’. This paves the way for a 2 consecutive appearance after missing 5 games in a row recently. Meanwhile, Larry Nance Jr. will remain ‘OUT’ as he recovers from his hand surgery. Zaccharie Risacher is set to be ‘OUT’ for at least 2 games due to left adductor irritation. The duo hold the same status as Cody Zeller and Kobe Bufkin.

In light of these updates, both teams will have to make adjustments to their starting lineups.

What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Knicks-Timberwolves game look like?

In light of Karl-Anthony Towns’ absence, Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims could see an increase in their on-court minutes. In light of this, the starting lineup for the New York Knicks is expected to look something like this:

Similarly, the starting lineup for the Atlanta Hawks can look like this:

The New York Knicks or the Atlanta Hawks? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming game? Let us know in the comments section down below.