The game between the New York Knicks and Denver Nuggets took a brutal turn very early. Karl-Anthony Towns had to make an early exit after clashing heads. He’s been a rebounding, double-double force lately, even though he’s been mad about the lack of touches. And with Nikola Jokic back like he was never gone, the Knicks surely need their big man on the floor.

Towns appears to have suffered a facial laceration, an open cut around his right eye, when he collided with Spencer Jones while going up for a shot. Jones also felt the impact and had a bit of blood on his forehead.

Towns had to leave the court, but he wasn’t ruled out of the game. He managed to sink both free throws to put the Knicks ahead 28-27 in the first quarter.

Ideally, a laceration wouldn’t sideline a player unless it’s very serious or hampering their vision. Spectators at Madison Square Garden tonight claim online that there was blood trickling down his face, but the injury didn’t look game-ending.

Towns was soon spotted at the bench with a patch on his right eyebrow and a clean jersey (his previous one was stained with blood). He played about five minutes in the first quarter and had five points and two rebounds.

Spencer Jones wasn’t that lucky. Although he didn’t bleed, the Nuggets player suffered a head contusion and was marked questionable to return to the game.

Towns, on the other hand, entered late in the second quarter with a patched eyebrow and has already added seven points, an assist, and a rebound.

Karl-Anthony Towns keeps the Knicks in the lead

Nikola Jokic was back last week and immediately made his presence felt, racking up 31 points and 12 rebounds while taking the Nuggets to a 122-109 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He’s already leading the game in rebounds tonight, which means the Knicks need Karl-Anthony Towns to be on the floor.

Towns, who missed one game last month due to a stomach issue, wants to stay healthy going into the All-Star Weekend. He’s suiting up for Team World in his sixth All-Star Game, taking place in Los Angeles. His selection comes when he’s averaging an elite 11.9 rebounds per game.

But his shooting woes, particularly from deep, continue. Yet fans think he’s mad at his teammates for not passing the ball to him. He was recently seen arguing with Mitchell Robinson on the sidelines about this.

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Despite his low points and efficiency, Towns’ rebounding has been crucial to this Knicks squad. Before facing the Nuggets, the Knicks won seven straight games against the Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, Toronto Raptors, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Washington Wizards. He’s had double-digit rebounds in five of those games, including 22 against the Raptors.

With him back in the game, the Knicks continue to use his floor-spacing ability.