Karl-Anthony Towns giving Knicks a glimpse of what’s to come

It didn’t take long for Karl-Anthony Towns to impact his regular-season debut at the Garden, for Towns — the preseason blockbuster acquisition — to elevate toward the rim, slam the ball through the net, hang on for an extra second and then let out a roar. 

This was the version of Towns, one of the NBA’s premier centers, the Knicks traded for.

The one who patiently waited on the right block as a chaotic play unfolded in the opposite corner and converted his chance once the ball arrived.

The one who finished his second regular-season game as a Knick with 21 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, a steal and 10 free-throw attempts.

It was a “really good, all-around game” from Towns, head coach Tom Thibodeau said after the Knicks’ 123-98 victory over the Pacers on Friday night — with his dunk and ensuing celebration a thunderous layer of that performance. 

“I guess you could say that,” Towns said postgame when asked if felt the energy from the crowd immediately. “I just always want to impose a lot of energy into the game and amplify my teammates, and I thought that was a good opportunity [with the dunk] to get some energy instilled to us — and the crowd obviously was bringing a lot of energy.”