Towns has missed the Knicks' last two games after injuring his Thumb during a Jan. 13 loss to the Detroit Pistons. The star center played through discomfort, posting 26 points and 12 rebounds on 7-of-17 shooting from the field, 4-of-9 from three and 8-of-10 from the free-throw line. He declined to say whether he underwent X-rays following the loss.

Monday’s game was reminiscent of the Knicks’ Jan. 3 loss in Oklahoma City, when the Thunder outscored them, 37-19, in the fourth quarter, and of a Jan. 4 loss in Chicago, when the Bulls outscored them, 38-17 in the third quarter.

Karl-Anthony Towns missed his second straight game because of a sprained right thumb, sitting out against his former team when the New York Knicks hosted Minnesota on Friday night.