The New York Knicks hold a 3-2 series lead over the defending champion Boston Celtics, but that is coming with their All-Star center playing heavily below expectations.
Knicks not getting Karl-Anthony Towns involved nearly enough vs. Celtics
Karl-Anthony Towns has not been the guy that the Knicks were hoping he’d be this series. Outside of a strong Game 4 in Detroit where he essentially won them the game with a pair of clutch shots, Towns has not been the same All-Star level player throughout the playoffs.
In their Game 5 blowout loss in Boston, Towns scored just 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds. He made one three-pointer as well, which is only the second three he has connected on this series.
The lack of outside shots for Towns is jarring, especially since his biggest strength offensively is his three-point shot. With the Knicks not getting him looks from outside, they are minimizing his skillset and not utilizing him properly.
“I haven’t really been out there…Haven’t really had the chance to shoot…We’ve just been doing our gameplan…I’ve been trying to do most of my damage inside, and do whatever my team asks of me,” Towns said after Game 5 (h/t New York Basketball on X).
The Knicks need to emphasize getting Towns clean looks
The lack of shot creation for Towns has led to lackluster offensive results by New York. In the third quarter of Game 5, the Knicks mustered just 17 points, and they shot under 40% from the floor in the game.
Their strategy of attacking the basket failed miserably. Not only could they not convert on their looks, but Luke Kornet was protecting the rim at an incredibly high level for Boston, blocking a career-high seven shots.
The Knicks need to place a larger emphasis on getting Towns looks from outside and getting him going. Without him shooting the ball, the offense can’t get into a rhythm since the spacing diminishes greatly. Jalen Brunson is the engine of the team and is expected to take the most shots, but they must get their other All-Star more involved.