The New York Knicks are winning games again, but Karl-Anthony Towns has been watching crucial fourth-quarter moments from the bench during the three-game streak. The five-time All-Star’s diminished role raises serious questions about his alignment with the organization just months after the franchise acquired him as its championship center.
New York defeated the Sacramento Kings 103-87 on Tuesday after controlling the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday. Towns was not speaking as the Knicks took control of both wins, highlighting a troubling pattern for the team’s most notable acquisition of the offseason.
Mike Brown replaced Towns with 6:51 left on Tuesday despite leading by just four points. Brown brought in Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson to close the game on a 21-9 run with suffocating defense and hitting clutch shots.
Towns finished with 17 points on 5-for-15 shooting and 11 rebounds while posting a team-worst minus-3 rating. He watched from the sidelines as his teammates pulled off another win during winning time without him.
“(Mike Brown) saw what he saw,” Towns said. “We have to win. That’s the most important thing. That’s the only thing I care about, what New York cares about, what this team cares about: wins.”
The statement rings true, but the Knicks need a different version of Towns than they received, or possibly someone else. His efficiency across all statistical categories has fallen to career lows as he struggles to find rhythm under Brown’s system.
More than halfway through the season, Towns simply isn’t putting the ball in the basket at the expected level. The performances make it increasingly difficult to justify him finishing games or maximizing the championship potential of this squad.
Brown’s closing lineup proved perfect for Brunson on Tuesday. The All-NBA point guard was surrounded by four defensemen, ranging from capable to excellent, who took on secondary offensive roles. It’s easier to cover one limited defender than it is to cover two, and pairing Brunson with Towns creates defensive challenges.
The Brunson-McBride-Bridges-Anunoby-Robinson lineup had played just over 20 minutes together this season before Tuesday, while posting a net rating of 23.7. Replacing Josh Hart with McBride creates a five-man unit with 27 minutes played and a net rating of 26.6. The sample size remains small, but suggests Brunson surrounded by quality defenders is a winning formula.
The Knicks also played some of their best basketball in the third quarter against Philadelphia, when foul trouble forced Towns to sit. The pattern has become too consistent to ignore as New York searches for championships.
“As the game goes on, you come across a group of players that you think play well together, and you play with them as long as you can,” Brown said Tuesday. “It was a tight ballgame, so I just rolled with that group until the end of the game.”
New York has championship aspirations this season and Jobs could be lost or major roster moves could follow if the Knicks don’t live up to the Finals performance that ownership at least expects. As the days go by, it becomes increasingly difficult to imagine either outcome with this version of Towns.
Perhaps Towns will rediscover his form and make current concerns irrelevant. However, his inconsistency has persisted for a long time. This is not a temporary slump, but a fundamental issue that requires serious evaluation.
The trade deadline is fast approaching. New York’s decision-makers may be afraid of breaking up a core that reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season, or relying more heavily on Robinson’s injury-prone ankles and less talented big men than Towns.
The current arrangement is not working as intended. There are few indications that improvements will occur anytime soon. The organization traded significant assets to acquire Towns as the final championship piece, but his performance does not justify the investment.
Brown’s willingness to bench Towns at crucial moments sends a clear message about the level of confidence. Championship teams demand their highest-paid players buy time and not watch from the bench while the reserves secure victories.
The Knicks face tough decisions as they weigh Towns’ reputation against current production. His defensive limitations were well known when New York acquired him, but offensive struggles have created unexpected complications for a team expecting championship contention.
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