Kristian Winfield: Knicks will be eliminated in Round 1 if they don't maximize Karl-Anthony Towns

Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News on Apr 23, 2025

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NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns went to the Western Conference finals last season. In fact, he elevated his level of play on the brink of elimination for the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring 25 points on 13 shots in a win-or-go-home Game 4, then 28 points in the Dallas Mavericks’ close-out Game 5.

Towns knows what it takes to make a deep playoff run. And he’s both talented and capable enough of a scorer and playmaker to turn a game with his individual gifts.

Which is why it’s inexplicable he didn’t take any shots in the fourth quarter of the Knicks’ 100-94 Game 2 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Monday, and he took only three shots in the second half. The lack of concerted efforts to get a marquee talent the ball for stretches is both puzzling and concerning.

“I don’t know,” Towns said of his lack of shot attempts in the fourth quarter. “I was executing what we said we wanted to do.

“Just trying to have the game do what it does, just executing what we talked about. I thought we got some great shots, some great looks, you live with those kinds of great shots and great looks, especially when you’ve fought back in the game.”

Towns scored six points on 3-of-3 shooting from the field in the first quarter and walked into halftime with 10 points on 5-of-8 shooting. The Pistons have used a combination of wings (Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, Tim Hardaway Jr.) and bigs (Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, who sat Game 2 due to injury) to show Towns different looks on the defensive end.

“I let the defense tell me [what to do]. Obviously, I’m always trying to get involved as much as possible,” Towns said. “Whether it’s post-up, I feel like I’ve worked tremendously hard on my game to have and outside-inside game, I think I’ve proven that to the world year in and year out. Just being aggressive, getting to spots I can do what I do best.”

Towns went on to attempt just three more shots in the third quarter, then took none in the fourth. He finished with 10 points in 33 minutes on the floor.

“He’s getting touches. He’s making the right play,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said after the game. “If he’s getting double-teamed, I don’t want him to shoot the ball over three people. That makes no sense to me.”

What makes no sense is New York failing to utilize the player it rebuilt its entire identity upon on both ends of the floor. If the Knicks don’t get Towns involved — and fast — they will lose this first-round series as heavy favorites over a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since David Fizdale was Knicks coach.

Towns said he was comfortable with how the team generated offense. But the Knicks don’t need to just find Towns. Towns needs to demand the ball. He is too talented, too gifted to be comfortable accepting what the defense gives him.

In his first year in New York, Towns earned his first career All-Star starter nod and averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds on 52.6% shooting from the field and 42% shooting from downtown.

Towns had 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the field plus five assists in Game 1. He recorded no dimes in Game 2. The Knicks were outscored by 10 points in the 33 minutes Towns played on Monday. For comparison, the Knicks were plus-three in the 20 minutes backup center Mitchell Robinson spent on the floor.

“I don’t know. I was executing what we said we wanted to do. Just maybe, you always wish you could get one of those long rebounds, loose balls. It was something that got us, they got those 50/50 balls,” Towns said, explaining his shotless fourth quarter. “We just didn’t get that today. It put us in a tough spot, we fought back, we put ourselves in the game, gave ourselves a chance, took some good shots.

“You trust everyone in this locker room to take those shots and make them. Nothing to feel bad about getting those kids of shots.”

Knicks captain Jalen Brunson also said he needs to do a better job of getting the ball to his co-star. He couldn’t be more spot-on.

Brunson, who was largely responsible for the brunt of the scoring load last season, inherited a new job description when the Knicks traded both for Towns and Mikal Bridges during the offseason.

Now, he must find the balance between creating shots for himself and getting his teammates in rhythm. It’s where his monthlong absence recovering from an in-season ankle sprain reflects the most.

“Definitely taking each possession at a time and trying to figure out the best course of action. It’s very tough when there’s definitely one ball. We have a lot of great players on this team, and definitely it’s on my shoulders,” he said after the game. “I’m not gonna point fingers and say some people do that and this. It’s on me to make sure I set the table. So I’ll go back, and I’ll figure out what I need to do. We’ll have conversations and we’ll figure out what we need to do for Game 3.”

Brunson has to find Towns. Towns has to find the ball. And Thibodeau has to find the happy medium. If that doesn’t happen, the Knicks will not make it out of the first round against a feisty Pistons defense hellbent on spoiling New York’s 51-win season.