The Knicks were already thin at center when they arrived at Madison Square Garden for Friday night’s interborough meeting with the Nets.
But that depth took the biggest possible hit about 30 minutes before tip-off, when leading scorer and rebounder Karl-Anthony Towns was ruled out with a knee injury.
The newly acquired Towns, who had been listed as questionable, was made inactive after he went through his pregame warmups at Madison Square Garden, marking his first missed game of the season.
The injury stemmed from a collision between Towns and Chicago Bulls star Zack LaVine late in the Knicks’ 124-123 home loss on Wednesday.
The 7-footer’s absence Friday added another woe to an injury-plagued Knicks frontcourt that’s been without center Mitchell Robinson (ankle) and forward-center Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) all season.
Jericho Sims started in Towns’ place Friday, while 7-foot rookie Ariel Hukporti received increased playing time off the bench.
The Knicks traded for Towns, a four-time All-Star, less than three weeks before the start of the season, sending forward Julius Randle and guard Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The trade has paid off thus far, with Towns, who hails from nearby New Jersey, averaging 26.5 points and 12.2 rebounds through his first 11 games.
Friday was Towns’ 29th birthday.
Towns was made inactive hours after the Nets ruled out their starting center, Nic Claxton, whom they diagnosed with a lower-back contusion. Claxton is expected to miss at least a week.
