"Nothing but an instigator" - NBA fans react to Tobias Harris' chippy confrontation with Karl-Anthony Towns in heated game

The NBA playoffs have had no shortage of excitement, with players bringing a heightened level of physicality on a nightly basis. In the midst of the latest showdown between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons, fans chimed in on the latest scuffle.

Knicks vs Pistons has been an air-tight series and has been extremely chippy from the start. Both teams pride themselves on being hard-nosed teams, and it's been on full display in their playoff battle.

After a sluggish first half, the Pistons came out in the third quarter with a new mindset. They drastically upped their energy level, which resulted in them shifting the game's momentum in their favor. Detroit has also been playing the mental game in hopes of throwing the Knicks off balance.

Throughout the playoffs, the NBA has seen countless scuffles. A minor one broke out in Game 3 of Knicks-Pistons with Tobias Harris and Karl-Anthony Towns. The veteran forward was seen trash-talking the All-Star center, with the two eventually needing to be separated.

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NBA fans react to minor altercation between Tobias Harris and Karl-Anthony Towns

It did not take long for Harris and Towns' altercation to make its way to social media. As the clip started to make the rounds, NBA fans chimed in with their thoughts. Many sounded off on Harris, labeling him an instigator.

Most fans enjoyed the scuffle, even though it didn't amount to anything. They feel the high level of competition has resulted in better basketball overall.

"Leave it to Detroit to bring real ball back to the league," one fan said.

"this the 90s basketball the uncs have been hyping up," another fan said.

"This playoffs is so good rn omfg its reality tv," said one fan.

As some mentioned, this exchange is shocking coming from a player like Harris. He's built a reputation of being a consummate professional in the NBA and rarely engages in stuff like this on the floor. That said, Harris is doing whatever he can to try and provide a boost for the Pistons.

In this series, Harris has found himself with the primary defensive assignment of Towns. He's held his own in the matchup, embracing the challenge from Game 1. His trash-talking served its purpose, as the Knicks star was visibly frustrated. Harris has to pull out all the stops in hopes of limiting Towns' impact on the offensive end.