Knicks hoping Karl-Anthony Towns will be ready to go vs. 76ers after thumb scare

The Knicks are hoping that Karl-Anthony Towns will be a thumb-up for Wednesday’s game in Philadelphia. The four-time All-Star has been listed as questionable against the 76ers after suffering what the Knicks are calling a sprained right thumb during Monday’s loss to the Pistons at the Garden. Towns played through the injury — suffered in the first half when he banged his right hand on the backboard on a drive to the hoop — and finished the game with 26 points and 12 rebounds in 43 minutes.He replied “it is what it is” multiple times when asked after the game about the status of his thumb, and he declined to say whether he underwent X-rays. Towns also missed three games earlier this season with knee soreness, including one last week against the Raptors. Jericho Sims has started in place of Towns in each of those games, but he also has been listed as questionable for the Philly game after being unavailable Monday night with lower back spasms.Jalen Brunson (right shoulder soreness) is probable for the Knicks. Towns on the Knicks’ 26-15 mark at the 41-game midpoint of the regular season: “Obviously, there’s a lot we wish we could have done, games we could take back, ways we could have executed in different ways late in games.

But to be in the spot we’re in, the team we are, I think we’re going in the right direction.Just got to continue to grow and then keep working on being the best version of ourselves when we need to be.” Joel Embiid missed his fifth straight game Tuesday night against Oklahoma City with a sprained left foot.

Andre Drummond (toe), Kyle Lowry (hip), KJ Martin (foot) and Jared McCain (knee) also were out for the Sixers....