After concerns about his availability, Karl-Anthony Towns suited up for the New York Knicks’ season opener on Wednesday, helping them secure a 119-111 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.Towns made his presence felt, posting 19 points and 11 rebounds in 31 minutes of action. When asked postgame about his health, the All-Star admitted he played through pain.“I've been banged up and haven't really got a chance to practice or play those last two preseason games,” he said.“I don't want to disappoint the fans. Again, with a Grade 2 quad strain, it's not something that's easy to deal with. But we made it happen tonight.”The Knicks opened the season short-handed, missing Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson while Towns battled a right quad strain.Still, they got the job done behind OG Anunoby’s 24-point, 14-rebound double-double, supported by Jalen Brunson’s 23 points, Mikal Bridges’ 16 and Miles McBride’s 15.Even at less than 100%, Karl-Anthony Towns’ presence on the floor was crucial, helping New York dominate the glass 48-32 and overcome a Cavaliers squad led by Donovan Mitchell’s 31 points and Evan Mobley’s 22.Karl-Anthony Towns off to a solid start under Mike BrownThe New York Knicks’ biggest offseason change came from the sidelines, replacing Tom Thibodeau with two-time Coach of the Year Mike Brown.Before Wednesday’s opener, Karl-Anthony Towns made headlines when he admitted uncertainty about his role under Brown’s system.“Honestly, I don’t know,” Towns said. “It’s just different. We’re still figuring it out.”But his performance against Cleveland offered some early clarity. Despite taking just 12 shots (down from 16.9 attempts per game last season), Towns played efficiently, attacked the paint and got to the free-throw line while anchoring the Knicks inside.Towns built high expectations in his first year in New York, averaging 23.1 points and 11.1 rebounds on 52.4% shooting, including 40% from 3.Though he’s clearly not at full strength, Towns’ toughness showed in crunch time, and it remains to be seen how Mike Brown will manage his minutes, especially given that Thibodeau was known for heavy starter workloads that often led to burnout by playoff time.