Mike Brown chose the Knicks hot hands and kept Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench to end the game

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Knicks ended their win with an All-Star on the bench.

Karl-Anthony Towns was fouled out with 9:24 to go and watched the rest of Sunday’s 123-114 win over the Blazers from a chair, with coach Mike Brown explaining afterward that he was rolling with hot hands.

“Normally yes [close with Towns]. It’s there on the minutes sheet [to play down the stretch]Brown said. “But we strung a lot of things together. And we got out and went. And I’ll do this: If I think there’s a group rolling, I’ll keep a group out there. As long as it doesn’t drastically impact anyone’s minutes. And that group turned and that’s why I kept them out.”

The Knicks won those final 9.5 minutes without Towns, 31-20. Brown used Mitchell Robinson at center or went with a small lineup, with Miles McBride playing with the four other starters (Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges).

Towns finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes.

A day earlier, Brown reiterated that it’s up to him and the struggling center to make it work. Their partnership was uneasy, with Towns consistently citing the challenges of adapting to the coaching system.

“I’ve said this before: It’s not just up to KAT to adapt and adapt to what we have to do,” Brown said. “He’s had the hardest adjustment period because he’s had to learn the most. In the same breath, I have to make sure I help him by simplifying what we do and make sure I put him in the right places and then he also has to do the things that are necessary to help.”

Brown was giddy when the 49ers defeated the Eagles in an NFC wild-card game on Sunday. His son Cameron is a coach on the San Francisco staff.

“First and foremost, Niners fans, congratulations. Big win on the road in Philly,” Brown said at his post-game press conference. “My parents are from Philly, but my son is with the Niners, so I’m red, red, red, red, through and through. So let’s go, Niners. Let’s go, baby!”

A few prominent Knicks players probably don’t feel the same way. Brunson, Towns and McBride are all Eagles fans.

Tyler Kolek became the latest youngster squeezed out of the rotation, logging zero minutes following the return of Hart, who missed the previous eight games with a sprained ankle. It was Kolek’s first DNP since November 19.