KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS strides up the sideline, heading for the scorer's table. Tipoff is almost here at Madison Square Garden as his Knicks host the Bucks on this late November night. The lineups have been announced, the anthem has been sung, and the teams have finished huddling. All that is left is for Towns and the other starters to perform their final acts of preparation.
At the edge of the table, Towns grabs a shaker bottle with a red label and a perforated lid. He turns it over and sprinkles white rosin powder onto the table's surface.