LOS ANGELES — As Karl-Anthony Towns was being accused by Draymond Green of ducking his Warriors teammate Jimmy Butler, Towns opened up about the real reason he missed Tuesday’s game for the Knicks — to deal with the death of a family friend, Sarah Holtzman.
“This is one of those moments where I had to be there for my family and be there for the kids that lost somebody really special to them,” Towns said after rejoining the Knicks in L.A., where he returned Thursday against the Lakers in a 113-109 overtime loss.
According to an online obituary, Holtzman died after a battle with breast cancer.
Karl-Anthony Towns is pictured during the Knicks’ game against the Jazz on Nov. 1. Jason Szenes for the NY PostKarl-Anthony Towns on IG: pic.twitter.com/P3NwR8XETo
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 6, 2025
She was close with Towns’ longtime girlfriend, Jordyn Woods, who posted on social media, “F–k cancer.”
Towns has dealt with layers of tragedy over the past few years after his mother, Jaqueline Cruz, and other family members died from COVID-19 complications.
“I want to say that all the losses I’ve had have taught me how to appreciate life and find joy in the work,” Towns said. “Not many people have a chance to have this job and be able to play basketball for a living.
“And the problems that have arisen in my life and stuff, I know that if people were in my shoes, they’d be extremely joyful to have the problems that I have. So just stay focused and it’s made me a better man. And, with my mom, I had utilized that experience when it came to this one because losing a mom is tough.”
Despite these heartfelt reasons, Green, who beat the Knicks on Tuesday with the Warriors, suggested on his podcast that Towns faked an ailment to avoid seeing his longtime nemesis, Butler, who is also on Golden State.
Green acknowledged he had no evidence or knowledge as to why Towns missed the game.
Towns and Butler developed a rivalry and mutual dislike as teammates on the Timberwolves.
“Some would say he didn’t play because Jimmy was in the building,” Green said. “I don’t know. … They said KAT ain’t play because Jimmy came to town. Him and Jimmy had the infamous practice in Minnesota. … I don’t know [if Towns was] hurt. I didn’t look that deep into it to figure out what his injury was.”
Towns was excused officially on Tuesday for “personal reasons,” not an injury.
Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors goes up for a shot in
front of D’Angelo Russell of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half
on Thursday. Robert Sabo for NY Post
Karl-Anthony Towns opened up about why he missed the last game. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POSTTold about his mistake Friday, Green excused his actions as just repeating a rumor.
He also managed to plug his podcast.
“Oh, man. That’s unfortunate. I’m sorry to hear that. That sucks,” Green said. “But my comments that I made, was that ‘people I heard was this, and that’s what I heard.’
“So I do send my well wishes to him and his family. You know, none of us. It’s inevitable. We all experience death in one way or another, and we’ll all experience it in the same way one day. So it’s unfortunate. You never wish that on anybody, But ‘The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis’ must go on.”
— Additional reporting by Brian Lewis
