Towns (knee) sits out as Magic race past Knicks

NEW YORK -- New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns, dealing with a right knee injury, sat out his team's 103-94 loss to the Orlando Magic on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.

Before the Knicks' decision to sit Towns because of what they deemed right knee tendinopathy, the four-time All-Star had been considered a game-time decision.

He took a hard fall in the closing minutes of a dominant 44-point, 16-rebound, 5-assist performance during a loss at Chicago on Saturday. He left that game because of the injury that caused him to limp.

The 29-year-old, acquired by the Knicks as training camps opened in October, is putting up career-best efficiency numbers while also leading the NBA in rebounds per game with 14. He also shooting a personal-best 44% on 3-pointers and averaging 25.3 points alongside Jalen Brunson for the Knicks, who sit in third place in the Eastern Conference.

Without him on the floor, Cole Anthony had 24 points, and Wendell Carter Jr. added 19, as Orlando won for the third time in the last five games.