Karl-Anthony Towns scored 10 points in his preseason debut with the Knicks

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jalen Brunson thought twice about going 1-on-2 in transition, but instead dribbled back outside and threw the ball behind him to Karl-Anthony Towns, who made a three-pointer with a defender in his face.

It's the kind of two-man game that the Knicks hope will take them to the next level and bring an NBA championship to New York for the first time since 1973.

That's why the Knicks traded last week for the versatile Towns, a four-time NBA All-Star. He can stretch the opposing defense and give Brunson even more space to operate in the lane and attack the basket.

Towns scored 10 points on 2-for-7 shooting and four rebounds in 15 minutes as the Knicks defeated the Charlotte Hornets 111-109 in his preseason debut with his new team Sunday night. Brunson scored 12 points on 5-for-11 shooting and had three assists.

Both only played the first half, which ended in a 61-61 tie.

“I know their talents, so it’s a matter of playing with them,” Towns said. “To finally put on a Knicks jersey and play 5-on-5 was really cool.”

Brunson added: “It's definitely going to take some time, but if people are willing to do whatever it takes to win, it will happen eventually. We talk to each other all the time, we're on the same page and we're on the same page. “I'm looking forward to being teammates.

This is Towns' first time moving to a new team, so he's not sure how long it will take to develop that chemistry.

“Every day is about learning each other’s tendencies and continuing to improve,” Towns said. “That’s really the key for us.”

But it's pretty clear that Towns is excited about his new start in New York.

“These guys are all super, super special, and they’re all very talented and they’ve put in a lot of work,” Towns said. “The coaches put us through drills that allow us to work on our skills and timing.”

Towns seemed out of sync on offense at times early on, but became more comfortable as the first half progressed. He struggled from deep — he missed his other four 3-point attempts — and half of his points came from the free throw line.

“I thought it was going to be a little choppy and there are little areas we need to clean up,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Of course they need time, so I wanted them to get their feet wet. The start is just around the corner and we have to get there.”

The Knicks had some good ball movement early on, but missed some layups.

“We'll take a look at it. It’s the right time,” Thibodeau said. “Some sequences were good, others need to be better. Some of them are about directing the ball in the wrong area.”

The 7-foot Towns was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday as part of a three-team transfer that also included the Hornets, so the center didn't have much to do with his new teammates.

The Knicks waived three-time All-Star Julius Randle and guard Donte DiVincenzo while reacquiring Keita Bates-Diop and also receiving a first-round pick. The Hornets received Charlie Brown Jr., DaQuan Jeffries, Duane Washington Jr. and two second-round picks as well as the draft rights to center James Nnaji.

Towns has averaged 22.9 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 39.8% from 3-point range in his nine seasons in the league.