PHILADELPHIA — Much like Karl-Anthony Towns kept his focus strictly on the game plan when he faced off against former teammate Jimmy Butler, the Knicks’ All-Star center was uninterested in rehashing his storied rivalry with Joel Embiid ahead of Tuesday night’s matchup against the 76ers.
“Getting a win. Literally that’s it. You already know [game-planning for Embiid] ain’t a thing to talk about,” Towns said after shootaround at Temple University’s McGonigle Hall. “We’ve gotta get a win, put something in the left column. Just be better versions of ourselves than the last game.”
Towns’ history with Embiid is one of the NBA’s most memorable rivalries between star big men. The feud started in 2019, when the two clashed during an October matchup between the 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves.
With Philadelphia leading by 20 points, Towns and Embiid got tangled up, escalating into a shoving match that quickly devolved into a bench-clearing brawl. Towns attempted to put Embiid in a standing headlock, Ben Simmons intervened, and all three went tumbling to the ground, with former Wolves point guard Jeff Teague shoving Embiid off of Towns. As players from both teams rushed to the scene, Simmons wrapping an arm around Towns’ neck, and the frustrated 7-footer slapped the court in response, creating a viral moment.
Both Embiid and Towns were ejected, but the fight didn’t end there.
Towns took to social media the next day, posting photos mocking Embiid, including an image of Embiid crying after the Sixers’ playoff elimination earlier that year.
Towns’ post sarcastically read, “I ain’t no bitch. Raised around lions,” along with clown and cap emojis and the hashtag “#BitchTalk.”
Embiid then responded on Instagram: “Imagine talking after a 20 pts loss. You hate to see it lmao. Go ahead using that pic of me caring about losing in the second round OF THE PLAYOFFS. Oh wait you’ve never been there. You don’t know what is like. No [cap] boy finally won 3 games and he’s talking and I know you ain’t talking. You’ve been a p—y your whole life. That’s why you were treated like a b**** by you know who [Jimmy Butler]. I ain’t gonna put your business out by I got the facts about you. Don’t get it twisted. I OWN YOU.”
Embiid didn’t stop there, adding on Twitter, “That tough guy act ain’t cutting it …. you know what you are.. you know what you’ve always been>>> A P—Y (SAY IT LOUDER FOR PEOPLE IN THE BACK) Been kicking your ass and pretty please make the playoffs before you talk. It’s a known thing that I OWN YOU. @KarlTowns.”
Tuesday marks the first time the two players have faced each other since the Knicks traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves for Towns ahead of training camp — with Embiid making his season debut after a knee injury and three-game suspension.
Towns didn’t want to revisit the beef that once dominated their interactions on and off the court.
It’s a stance he has taken with other former rivals, including Butler, who had a turbulent stint with Towns as his teammate in Minnesota.
When pressed further about facing Embiid, Towns remained steadfast, echoing the same focus he had after New York’s recent loss to the Indiana Pacers.
“So you gonna ask me a second time? Hell nah,” he said with a smirk. “I told you that the other day, it ain’t gonna change today. Listen, all I’m worried about is finding a way for us to win a game. For us, we’ve gotta figure out how to string wins together. Lose a game then we have a decisive victory and we show the world what we could be when we’re locked in. We’ve just gotta be locked in every night.”
Over time, however, the rivalry has softened, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and personal tragedies both players have experienced. Towns discussed how their relationship shifted after he and Embiid spoke during a 2021 game in Philadelphia.
“Last time we played in Philly, I had a good conversation with Embiid,” he said in a live stream with notable streamer Adin Ross. “I think that one of the great things about it was — it’s not great, I won’t say great — but like I meant what I said after. I never want anyone to deal with COVID. We had that one little moment. You know what I’m trying to say? I know my mom was involved, but I never, you know, I never wish that on anyone. Even my worst enemy.”
Towns, who lost his mother to COVID-19, said the pandemic shifted the dynamic between the two players and gave them a renewed sense of respect for each other.
“We really talked most of the game, and we just kind of caught up because we used to be good friends, especially in high school,” Towns said. “So I just told him like, ‘Bro, I know this is deeper than basketball. I just want you to make sure that you’re good, and you take care of your family. If you need me for anything, you got my number. The number ain’t changed since we’ve been knowing each other. Hit me.’”
Yet even beyond the personal history, this game holds a competitive edge, with the Knicks and Sixers both eyeing deep playoff runs.
For Towns, this matchup represents more than any lingering tension with Embiid; it’s an opportunity to continue solidifying his role with the Knicks. Since joining New York in a high-profile offseason trade, Towns has led the team in scoring, anchoring their offense and redefining their play style, but it hasn’t translated to high-level success on the court. New York entered Tuesday’s matchup losers in three of their last four games.
The Knicks’ playoff battles with the 76ers added even more weight to Tuesday’s game.
Last season, the Knicks eliminated Philadelphia in a contentious first-round series, during which Embiid, battling a knee injury, averaged 33 points over six games. The rivalry took another turn when Embiid, in a moment the Knicks called “dirty,” pulled down on Mitchell Robinson’s leg during a scramble for the ball.
Josh Hart, who started in the series, said the key to containing Embiid on Tuesday would be to stay disciplined, though they were anything but that in their disappointing loss to the Pacers, who had two players score 35 or more points in the same game for the first time in franchise history.
“Be disciplined. Don’t foul. Don’t give him anything easy to get him in a rhythm,” Hart said after the Knicks’ shootaround on Tuesday. “Don’t do anything that can hurt our team defensively and have guys out in foul trouble. So be disciplined, show your hands, and just try to make it tough for him.”
