Karl-Anthony Towns seems to be catching most of the heat from Tuesday’s defeat, and understandably so. KAT played poorly, especially in the second half. He converted just two of his 12 FG attempts, finishing the contest with eight points (first time he’s scored fewer than nine points since arriving in New York), 12 rebounds and one solitary assist (vs. three turnovers).
If we were going to cut KAT some slack, it’s important to point out two factors working against the big man. First and foremost, he’s learning an entirely new offensive system. Brown is the third different head coach Towns has played for over the past three seasons. And Brown has emphatically stated that KAT has a challenging task in learning how to operate from both the 4 and 5 spots on the offensive end. We knew going into the season that there would be an extended learning curve.
In addition, Towns is battling through a painful Grade 2 quad strain. Those types of injuries typically sideline players for multiple games, if not weeks. So, credit to KAT for toughing it out and suiting up while the Knicks are without starting center Mitchell Robinson, who remains missing due to a mysterious ankle injury.
Yet, at some point, KAT and the team need to decide whether the best course of action is for Towns to sit out for a bit and let his quad fully heal. Last night, he lacked explosiveness. He hasn’t been able to blow by defenders or overpower them in the post. His jumpers have been flat.
On the season, he is shooting just 35% from the floor. He shot 25% or worse from three-point range in three of New York’s first four contests. This is a player many consider the best shooting big man of all time, who shot 42% from downtown last season.
At no point last season did KAT shoot below 43% in more than two consecutive contests. He’s shot below 43% in all four games he’s played this season.
And this is just the second time in Towns’ career he’s posted a cumulative FG% of 35% or worse over any 4-game span.
So, it’s probably safe to assume the quad issue has hampered his offensive efficacy.
However, in addition to the poor shooting numbers, he’s also been far less of an impactful playmaker/facilitator than was anticipated.The Knicks played another brilliant second quarter, pouring in 45 points to take a double-digit lead into the break Tuesday night. Then Giannis came out like a man possessed in the second half, demonstrating why so many fans were excited about the mere possibility of him landing in New York.
When the final buzzer sounded, Milwaukee handed the Knicks their second straight victory, ushering in the first bit of turbulence in the Mike Brown era.
