Along the way, with Karl-Anthony Towns leading the Knicks in playoff plus-minus while averaging 17.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists in the playoffs, it has become quite evident that he deserves the kind of respect that some of his peers have been loath to give over the years (from Jimmy Butler on down the line). His defense against Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama in this series’ first two games should be enough to reshape how he’s viewed. That this revelatory showing comes after Randle struggled so mightily to contain Wemby in the Spurs’ second-round win over Minnesota, meanwhile, surely makes it all that much sweeter for Towns. (Conversely, what might Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards be thinking as he ponders the what-if of it all right about now?)

This article originally appeared on Hoops Hype: Along the way, with Karl-Anthony Towns leading the …