After expressing some uncertainty ahead of the regular season about his fit in Mike Brown‘s offense, Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns has gotten off to a shaky start this fall. The big man is shooting just 35.2% from the floor through four games and scored a season-low eight points on 2-of-12 shooting in Tuesday’s loss in Milwaukee.
As Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News writes (subscription required), Towns attempted just one shot in the first half of that loss to the Bucks while playing the way Brown wants him to — making quick decisions and giving up the ball when the defense zeroes in on him. He was a +15 in those first two quarters. In the third quarter, Towns began hunting for his own shot and was a -14 while making just 1-of-9 field goal attempts.
“(Towns’) first half was beautiful. He played the right way. And that’s all you can ask your All-Star guys to do,” Brown said. “If you’ve got an All-Star, and they’re taking him out with a second guy (double team), believe in your teammates, believe in the process. When those guys make plays, eventually they won’t double as much, and you’ll get it back.”
While the Knicks’ first-half success as a team (they were up 71-59 at the break) back up Brown’s comments, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required) argues that it’s “unreasonable” for the new head coach to ask the Knicks’ maximum-salary star to embrace a style that results in him attempting a single shot through two quarters.
Brown is attempting to make the Knicks’ players adjust to his system rather than adjusting his system to the talent on the roster, according to Bondy, who suggests that some tweaks may be necessary to better take advantage of Towns’ elite scoring ability. For his part though, the five-time All-Star continues to try his best to fit into Brown’s scheme.
“I got to do whatever’s needed to win, and first half I played how we needed me to play,” Towns said after Tuesday’s loss, per Steve Popper of Newsday (subscription required). “And the game, I felt, switched up and I tried to get going just in case we needed me, and I just didn’t make a shot so I pressed a little bit too much. I have more experience than to do that, but I didn’t do what we needed me to do, and that’s on me and I take full responsibility.”
We have more on the Knicks:
- Miles McBride has rejoined the Knicks after being away from the team for family reasons for two games, according to Bondy. The team’s bench scoring has slipped during McBride’s absence, and Brown is happy to have him back. “He does a lot of things on both ends of the floor,” the Knicks’ coach said. “His energy is contagious, he’s a two-way player. He can play on the ball, he can play off the ball defensively. He can play on the ball or off the ball offensively. Even though he’s a small guard, his athleticism and power obviously make him a good offensive rebounder. He can defensive rebound too. So there’s a lot he can bring to the table besides scoring that you miss when he’s not around.”
- Former NBA sharpshooter Steve Novak, who appeared in 135 regular season games for the Knicks from 2011-13, has joined MSG Networks as a game analyst, per Bondy. The plan is for Novak to work about a dozen games this season when Clyde Frazier is off.
- Veteran forward Mikal Bridges has embraced a mentorship role with younger Knicks players like Tyler Kolek, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. “You can see that when he was a younger guy in the league that he had those vets, too,” Kolek said. “They built a culture of brotherhood. You don’t see that every day in the NBA nowadays. (Mikal) was so welcoming and teaching us the little things, and not just the basketball stuff. He shows us how to move, how to be a man and be an actual professional.”
- Speaking of Dadiet, he’s the only player with a 2026/27 rookie scale team option who hasn’t had that option exercised or declined yet. The deadline to pick up that option is the end of the day on Friday, so the Knicks’ decision should be reported in the coming hours.
- In case you missed it, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson went through a full practice on Thursday and is considered a game-time decision for Friday’s game in Chicago. Robinson has yet to play this season due to what the team has referred to as left ankle injury management.
Towns had a bad shooting day. But there is no way Kuzma should be guarding him. He should of took him to post and abused him. Towns was 4/4 from FT line. And the coach should have run plays for him. System or no system. Knicks offense has to be Towns, Brunson, Bridges first. All three should be over 20 a game. Not really seeing the ball movement consistently. Team defense and rebounding is more important right now.
Yabusele and Clarkson still haven’t made an impact. And the bench is suppose to be the big difference this year. Only Mitch is missing tonight. Knicks need a good team win. Bulls playing well right now. So this is a good test for them. NYK
It’s NBA coaches. Why do they always start with trying to fix what isn’t broke? I’m fine with Brown’s quicker/no playbook offense, but why not ease into it starting with a modified version of last year’s offense (which was 4th in the league). Why not make the initial focus getting the team to play defense at a level that doesn’t preclude them from winning a championship? That’s where the cold turkey approach was needed. KAT is only going to care so much about defense in any event, but what are the odds that he’ll focus on it at all when he’s frustrated about shooting 2-12?
CHI tonight and Sunday. These 2 game home and home things usually get split. NYK can get right by sweeping, and then moving confidently into the rest of their first home stand.
Because it is broke – unless you are good with never winning a championship. KAT stands for Knicks will never win it all while he’s their guy. He’s one of many very good players who are not and never will be elite. He’ll just keep blaming coaches and never take accountability for his own weaknesses.
Towns has his faults. Blaming coaches has never been one. Try and get it right. We don’t care about his past. He’s been here one year. And was the starting All Star Center in the East. Statistically had one of his best yrs in his career. Hate all you want. Knicks just have to improve on last year. We will worry about a chip when we get there.
Bottom line this team is not constructed right. The Towns and bridges trades are looking bad. The bridges trade was okay until they traded for towns and cap themselves out. The off-season moves are blowing up in there face. There is a reason why guys are bought out and Clarkson at 32 years old is at the end of his prime and his athletic ability and you can see that he can’t get to the bucket or score fishing enough anymore. Mitch doesn’t even play. This team can not win a championship. Shamet is a 3rd string guard and so is Kolek. Seen enough of Kolek that he is not consistent enough. Without a back up guard and a center that can play night in and night out they are cooked. Everybody thinks high-level basketball NBA oversees is like NBA 2K. It’s really not when guys are in and out of the lineup. It messes with the chemistry and with people’s rhythm and then Knicks had mostly rhythm players. So Mitch missing games here and there is just not good for the team
Dude, learn to read and please employ that new skill to a post before responding to it.
An offense that ranked top 4 in the league, and top 2 for most of the year (before their PG got hurt), is NOT broken. Could it be improved, sure. But it’s NOT broken. Got it? Hopefully you do, because it’s not really something that’s up for debate. It’s hard to pay attention to anything other part of your rant while that’s outstanding.
It’s really not Kat fault it’s the team construction and Kats contract. kat for a $0 million player is a really good player. The problem is he is making max money and there are only realistically 5 to 8 NBA players that are Max players in the NBA Kat is not one of them. Team has no money for the bench at all and picking up minimum guys is not going to do it. I love hart but it’s time move one player
I agree lol. The defense and bench is what needed the most fixing. The new offense is suppose to ease the mins on starters. I’m all for a more fluid offense. Just make it work and stop with the talk.
Looks like a loss tonight, NY media and fans are gonna be angered, but in reality, they have too much talent not to figure it out eventually.
Fans and media already losing their minds in NY. I hope Brown can handle it. Cause they will come after the new guy. How can you be worse than last year.
Bulls are playing well. So you think Knicks D would show up. Brown is not pushing D like Thibs would.
Instead trying to get a faster pace offense. Naybe this coach should concentrate on stopping the fast pace Bulls. Bulls with 31 ast. Giddey looked like the Big O last night ……. 38 mins, 32 pts, 9 ast, 10 reb, 12/21 FG.