In that first season, Towns talked to ESPN about the friendship and said ... But there is so much more that unites them. Porzingis was supposed to be the linchpin to a return to prominence ...

Among the most marquee individual matchups will be between their starting centers, Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns. Both are stretch bigs who entered the NBA at the same time in 2015.

Towns grabbed at his leg and went down near midcourt. He was helped off without putting weight on the leg, and the team announced that he had a right calf strain. Porzingis made all six of his 3 ...

Towns attempted zero 3-point shots in both the fourth quarter and overtime. And despite turning in a 34-point performance, shooting 14-21 from the field, Porzingis’ 34 points just cut deeper.

Porzingis averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game and finished second in NBA Rookie of the Year voting, behind only Karl-Anthony Towns, then of the Minnesota Timberwolves.