“Knicks' Towns drop 44 points on Heat in statement game to start season”.

MIAMI – Someone asked coach Tom Thibodeau before Wednesday night's game in New York what else he expected from Karl-Anthony Towns over the course of this season.

Thibodeau didn't sound worried.

A few hours later, Towns showed why.

In just his fourth game with the Knicks, Towns exploded – scoring 44 points, by far the most by any New York player this young season, and leading his club to a 116-107 victory over the Heat.

He could be a perfect fit in the decades-long rivalry between the Knicks and the Heat. Towns averaged 25.4 points in Miami games in his career, his second-highest road average against any opponent. He averages 25.8 points in games at Indiana.

“The weather,” Towns told MSG Network after the game when asked why he enjoys Miami games so much. “I was in Minnesota. It's cold. It's hot here. I like that.”

Towns, who was traded from Minnesota to New York about a month ago when camps opened and sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves, has by no means had a bad start to the season. His first three games: 12 points, 21 points and 13 points, including two double-doubles. Not amazing, but not bad either.

Game 4 of his New York career was different from the start.

He had 24 at halftime, continued to roll in the second half, was 17 of 25 from the floor, grabbed 13 rebounds and scored the fourth-most points ever by a Knick against the Heat in the 173rd game between the clubs. New York won 88, Miami 85.

The 44 points were also the most in a game by a Knicks center since Patrick Ewing in 1995. And Towns became the first Knicks player with 40 points, 10 rebounds and 65% shooting in a game since Carmelo Anthony in 2014.

According to Second Spectrum, Towns made 11 catch-and-shoot shots, his most in a game since 2018 against the Hawks. It was also the second-most catch-and-shoot throw by a Knicks player in a game since player tracking began in the 2013-14 season.

“I love his approach because he doesn’t force anything,” Thibodeau said. “He lets the game come to him. I want him to be assertive and everything, but I want him to let the game come to him. He is a very talented goalscorer as you saw tonight. … He can hurt you a lot” in different ways.

There are still 78 games left, but Towns already has an understanding of the Knicks and what's possible this season.

“You are brave. They find a way to win. They never give up,” Towns said. “If you bring the New York mentality with you every night, you can tell when you live in a culture like that.”

Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.