Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 of his 39 points in the Knicks’ win against the Heat in the first half, and in doing so, provided a reminder of his ability to function as the team’s top offensive option with Jalen Brunson currently out with an ankle sprain, writes Jared Schwartz of the New York Post.
Towns had a relatively quiet second half against the Heat’s swarming double teams, but his first-half heroics set the tone for the team to capitalize against Miami’s defense. At the same time, his willingness to step back allowed reserves Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, and Josh Hart to lead the way against a defense tilted to stop Towns.
“I wanted to do my best to pick up the offense that [Brunson] gives our team,” Towns said. “And in the first half, I did a good job of that. In the second half, I wasn’t trying to force it. I’ve had those days, so I was just letting the game come to me and Landry Shamet is a big reason [for that].”
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- Shamet racked up a career-high 36 points as he helped the Knicks take down the Heat for the team’s first win of the NBA Cup. His increased prominence in the rotation is a reward for being willing to fight for a roster spot on a non-guaranteed deal this fall, Schwartz writes. “This is where I wanted to be,” Shamet said. “With the year we had last year, this group of guys, this locker room, this city, these fans, all of it, I only wanted to be here, to be honest. I’m glad it worked out.” Shamet has started three games and seems to be head coach Mike Brown‘s preferred starter when Mitchell Robinson is out. “Is he shooting the pull-up, which he can make, or is he getting to the rim and dunking on you?” Brown said. “You could see that on film last year, and so I was definitely a fan of his.”
- Brown was disappointed with the Knicks’ lack of focus against the Magic on Wednesday, telling reporters that the team was too focused on the referees and not enough on the game, Schwartz writes in a separate article. “The thing that I was most disappointed in was in the first half, everything that happened on the court, we blamed the officials,” Brown said. “And that was disappointing to see because we were the culprits of a lot of stuff that happened out on the floor.” The Knicks cut down on the complaining last game, and Towns has mentioned before that not getting distracted by perceived bad calls is a point of emphasis for him.
- Brown and Towns credited assistant coach Rick Brunson with Towns’ success in the win against the Heat, Schwartz writes. “Rick Brunson was the first one to say it,” Brown said. “He was like, ‘Hey, keep playing through KAT. Keep playing through KAT. Keep playing through KAT.”