Karl-Anthony Towns flexed toward the Madison Square Garden crowd following a drive that began more than 30 feet from the basket and ended with the 7-foot big man on the floor, awaiting a trip to the foul line to cap a three-point play.<\/p>\n
Towns had bullied his way from next to the Atlanta Hawks bench, through two defenders and to the rim, extending the New York Knicks\u2019 lead to 14 points with less than seven minutes remaining in Saturday\u2019s first-round opener. The play highlighted the matchup nightmare Towns presents throughout these playoffs: a versatile stretch big who needs to be accounted for at all times.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt gets back to efficiency, and that\u2019s a challenge for us right now,\u201d Hawks coach Quin Snyder said before the Knicks\u2019 113-102 win on Saturday. Towns scored 19 of his 25 points in the second half, offsetting a cold-shooting night from All-Star guard Jalen Brunson.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a little bit of pick your poison. How do you handle [Towns] on the post with a mismatch? How do you handle him on the pick-and-roll? … There are times where it\u2019s good defense, better offense.\u201d<\/p>\n
Therein lies the conundrum: With Towns and the Knicks, it\u2019s not always that simple.<\/p>\n
Snyder came into this series well aware of Towns\u2019 exploits and success against his team. Towns\u2019 28.5 points per game against Atlanta is his highest against any team this season, along with 63% shooting from the field and 50% from 3.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s a gamble Snyder is willing to take, considering how well New York plays when Towns has big scoring nights compared to others. For example, the Knicks are 23-4 this season when OG Anunoby scores 20 or more. When Towns reaches that plateau, the Knicks are 26-15. (After starting Monday\u2019s Game 2 loss eight for 10 from the field, Towns finished with 18 points as he and the Knicks squandered a 14-point lead to even the series.)<\/p>\n
What is simple are the stakes, spoken and silent, facing Towns and the Knicks\u2019 2026 playoff run. Under a rare but direct edict from owner James Dolan, reaching the franchise\u2019s first NBA Finals since 1999 is the expectation, not the hope.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s that way for coach Mike Brown, who replaced Tom Thibodeau following his controversial firing in June. It\u2019s also that way for wing Mikal Bridges, who arrived two years ago in exchange for a hefty collection of draft picks.<\/p>\n
And it\u2019s certainly that way for the 30-year-old Towns, who is always under scrutiny for simultaneously not doing enough and trying to do too much.<\/p>\n
As the Knicks head to Atlanta for Thursday\u2019s Game 3 (7 p.m. ET, Prime), the Towns question isn\u2019t just one for opposing coaches, but seemingly the Knicks staff itself.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been clear that Towns, whose 13.8 shot attempts during the regular season marked a new career low while his 20.1 points per game was his fewest since his rookie year, hasn\u2019t been fully deployed in his second season with the Knicks.<\/p>\n
How Brown and his staff maximize their All-Star center has perplexed coaches and front offices around the league all season, a theme that will be magnified as the playoffs progress.<\/p>\n
So will the questions about Towns\u2019 fit and future — no matter how far New York advances — ahead of what could be an impactful offseason for multiple contenders.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe so badly wants things to work here,\u201d a source close to Towns told ESPN. \u201cHe wants to be a Knick for life.\u201d<\/p>\n
BROWN WAS HIRED to diversify the Knicks offense and the roster after it was believed Thibodeau ran the starters ragged, with promising playoff runs ending with key players suffering injuries. And even though Thibodeau led New York to its first conference finals since 2000, the finish against the Indiana Pacers was enough for Dolan to spearhead a change on the sidelines.<\/p>\n
Towns, who had one of his best seasons in 2024-25 under Thibodeau, wasn\u2019t expected to be as much of a focal point in Brown\u2019s offense. There\u2019s no denying he\u2019s being used differently, as Brown wants to maximize 3-point spacing instead of routinely running Towns into the post.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet it fly,\u201d was a phrase Brown frequently used early on to describe his approach. The Knicks jumped from 27th in attempts last year to 12th in Brown\u2019s first season.<\/p>\n
The questions revolve around both ends of the floor, even though Towns\u2019 elite offensive skills help offset his defensive shortcomings.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe doesn\u2019t have the lateral athleticism to execute the [Knicks defensive schemes] for 36 minutes a night,\u201d an Eastern Conference assistant coach said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither Thibs nor Mike Brown has figured it out: how to use him when he\u2019s not great at the rim.\u201d<\/p>\n
Towns and Brown have met throughout the season to discuss the center\u2019s changing role, according to sources familiar to the Knicks\u2019 inner workings. Towns and Brunson, meanwhile, have found improved chemistry in the past few weeks, mostly taking it upon themselves to work their two-man game.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe made some pretty big changes through the course of the year,\u201d Brown said before the playoffs. \u201cI don\u2019t know if I\u2019ve ever gone through a season with a team as a head coach with making the changes that we\u2019ve made with a group of guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
That was interpreted as a statement toward Towns, as Brown has altered his defense to limit Towns\u2019 exposure in space, where he is more susceptible to foul trouble than before. (Towns has committed nine fouls through the first two games of the series against Atlanta.)<\/p>\n
Towns, despite a rocky first half of the season when he shot just 35% from 3 and just under 47% from the field, rebounded after the All-Star break. Towns played some of his most efficient basketball of his career in his final 24 games, shooting nearly 58% overall and 42% from deep. Brown routinely points to Towns\u2019 attempts, second most on the Knicks behind Brunson during the regular season, but it doesn\u2019t feel like he\u2019s fully utilized.<\/p>\n
When the Knicks blow leads or don\u2019t win in remarkable fashion, Towns\u2019 production is routinely first among postgame talking points. Monday\u2019s Game 2 collapse was no different.<\/p>\n
\u201cKAT\u2019s a great player. He\u2019s got to impose his will on the game,\u201d Brown said postgame. \u201cIf he was a young guy, I would need to say something to him. But as a veteran guy, I don\u2019t need to tell him to be aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe opportunities just didn\u2019t come around to shoot it,\u201d Towns said later that night in the Knicks locker room. \u201cAt the end of the day, I trust everybody to shoot the ball. The opportunity wasn\u2019t available for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Knicks\u2019 nationally televised win over the Golden State Warriors on March 15 felt like another microcosm. None of the Warriors regulars were active, the most accomplished threat being guard Brandin Podziemski. And yet, the Warriors led by 21 points in the second quarter. A furious comeback featured Towns scoring 13 of his 17 points after halftime as the Knicks survived 110-107.<\/p>\n
Despite the win being the Knicks\u2019 third of a seven-game streak, Brown was annoyed. Towns, meanwhile, said the Knicks were \u201cplaying with fire,\u201d needing such a rally against an undermanned opponent.<\/p>\n
There was the first game after the All-Star break, at the Garden against the Detroit Pistons, who had badly beaten New York twice this season. The Knicks were expected to send a message as a receipt, but another beatdown ensued, even with Pistons big men Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart sidelined.<\/p>\n
Towns took the fewest shots of any starter before halftime and then went on a flurry to start the third quarter, scoring 12 straight points to cut into the deficit. He finished with 19, but the Pistons easily dispatched the Knicks for a 15-point win.<\/p>\n
After the game, Brown insisted Towns was comfortable in the offense and said they would continue to explore ways to create opportunities.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur offense is our offense. It\u2019s been that way all year,\u201d Towns said. \u201cWe have our system. Regardless of who\u2019s in the game or not in the game, we run the system we\u2019ve implemented.\u201d<\/p>\n
The numbers say Towns is getting as many touches this season as last. Per 100 possessions, he\u2019s getting 82.9 touches this year compared to 82.1 last season, according to GeniusIQ tracking. He\u2019s shooting slightly less, with 21.9 attempts per 100 possessions. Last year, it was 23.5.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the periphery you always get the sense KAT is on the decline,\u201d an assistant coach who has scouted the Knicks said. \u201cThe team numbers from last season to this season, much to my surprise they are almost identical.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like everything in this Knicks season, the overall numbers say one thing and the feelings suggest something different. Towns finished with one game of fewer than double figures last year, and this year that number has ballooned to five.<\/p>\n
Brown\u2019s theme to the team this season has been about making sacrifices, so Towns isn\u2019t the only Knicks star who believes he can do more. Josh Hart led the NBA in minutes last season (37.6 per game), and early in the season he dealt with fourth-quarter benchings and has seen his minutes cut to 30.2. Anunoby is playing three fewer minutes. Brunson\u2019s production, meanwhile, is relatively flat from last year.<\/p>\n
But despite bouts of sloppiness and early growing pains, the Knicks entered the postseason as the East\u2019s second-ranked offense behind the Boston Celtics, their second-round matchup should both teams advance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf KAT plays at the highest level, the Knicks are as good as any team in the league,\u201d a Western Conference team executive said. \u201cBut he doesn\u2019t bring it every night. I\u2019m not talking about the scoring part. The intensity defensively, the interior presence. I can\u2019t deny his talent. He\u2019s a special talent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Executives around the league believe Towns would be the key to the Knicks chances to topple the conference favorites. If they can\u2019t, many front office members around the league also believe New York will survey the market for Towns trades this summer.<\/p>\n
IS TOWNS\u2019 GAME in decline or is he just being underutilized? Is Towns a Knick for life or a placeholder for the next star angling to play at Madison Square Garden? There has always been smoke around Towns and his future with the Knicks. And this summer, expect it to billow.<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople say a lot, but I know this: Dolan loves Towns,\u201d a league executive said.<\/p>\n
The Knicks did have a chance to extend Towns before the start of 2025-26 but opted to wait. Towns, according to sources, wanted a new deal but didn\u2019t expect one to come this season.<\/p>\n
With two years remaining on his contract — $57.7 million in 2026-27 with a $61 million player option for 2027-28, according to ESPN\u2019s Bobby Marks — Towns would be the franchise\u2019s biggest trade chip, salary-wise, if the Knicks chose to chase a superstar such as Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.<\/p>\n
On the floor, Towns has played in the past two conference finals, helping the Minnesota Timberwolves and then the Knicks dethrone favored defending champions in the second round — the Denver Nuggets in 2024 and Boston last season. Making it that far isn\u2019t even the bare minimum this time around, going back to Dolan\u2019s demand.<\/p>\n
The Knicks have to get to the Finals, or it feels like massive changes could be in order.<\/p>\n
Last summer, the Bucks and Knicks entered into an exclusive negotiating period centered around Antetokounmpo, league sources told ESPN\u2019s Shams Charania in October. With the tumultuous season Milwaukee had this year, many around the league foresee more exploration of the two-time MVPs future, especially because he can sign an extension in the fall.<\/p>\n
Towns has been traded before — on the eve of training camp, no less — and he\u2019s well aware of the rumors surrounding his future. In Minnesota, he didn\u2019t get a chance to help the Timberwolves build on their surprising conference finals appearance after surviving regime changes and a revolving door of teammates and coaches.<\/p>\n
Knowing his future in New York could very well be decided by the next six weeks of playoff basketball, Towns has an opportunity to reshape it — and the seasonslong narrative surrounding his fit with the Knicks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf they come up short, if they don\u2019t make the Finals — aside from Bridges, because he was traded for all the draft picks — Towns will take the most heat because of his r\u00e9sum\u00e9,\u201d a high-ranking rival team executive said. \u201cBecause Brunson won\u2019t take the heat and they\u2019ll say Towns didn\u2019t deliver.<\/p>\n
\u201cEspecially with Giannis sitting out there.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Karl-Anthony Towns flexed toward the Madison Square Garden crowd following a drive that began more than 30 feet…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":623245,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[434],"tags":[49,48,14101,459,82],"class_list":["post-623244","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-mike-brown","tag-nba","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623244","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=623244"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/623244\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/623245"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=623244"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=623244"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=623244"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}