The New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers rivalry isn’t just happening on the court—it’s been happening online for days. Ahead of Thursday night’s game at Crypto.com Arena, social media became a battleground as fans went head to head over Karl-Anthony Towns’ availability.
Social Media Drama Ignites Tensions
Before tip off, Lakers fans were saying KAT was sitting out Tuesday’s game against the Golden State Warriors to rest for the Lakers game. That was despite reports he missed the game for “personal reasons” which later turned out to be a family emergency.
Lakers Fans Say KAT Was “Resting”
One fan on X (formerly Twitter) said “Bro was resting for the Lakers.”
Another said “They always return vs Lakers.” referencing Luka Doncic’s trend of opponents prioritizing games against LA.
Some even joked about it, with one fan saying “You know why Jesus rose three days later? He was playing the Lakers the next day.”
But when the news came out about the personal nature of KAT’s absence (his girlfriend Jordyn Woods had posted about a loved one with cancer), many of the Lakers fans who had accused him started apologizing. But the damage was done and Knicks fans were quick to fire back.
Knicks Fans Strike Back
New York fans didn’t take kindly to the criticism and roasted Lakers fans for being arrogant.
- “Weirdo laker fans think the world revolves around their team and ppl plan on returning against them,” said one Knicks fan.
- A Boston Celtics supporter added, “Laker fans thinking the world revolves around them when one of his family members is dealing with cancer.”
- Another user fired back, “Lakers fans are a bunch of narcissists.”
The back and forth only adds to the already high stakes for this game.
Why This Game Matters
Thursday’s game features two of the best teams in the league. The Lakers (39-21), led by LeBron James, are on a 17-3 tear. The Knicks (40-21), with Jalen Brunson and now Towns back, are in 3rd place in the East.
With both teams fighting for position, this game means something – not just for bragging rights but for playoff seeding.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ Impact
Towns will be huge for the Knicks especially since they’re 3-4 without him this season. New York is 24.5/13.4 with him on the court, he’s a big part of their success.
Against a Lakers team that’s 11-2 since they got Luka from the Mavericks – the Knicks will need all of Towns’ production to keep up.
Leave a Reply