The New York Knicks can’t keep relying on Jalen Brunson to carry them out of every tough situation, and the early part of this season is proving exactly why. Tuesday’s 121–111 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks marked their second straight defeat, and once again, Brunson did nearly everything he could to keep New York competitive. The problem wasn’t effort — it was help, or the lack thereof, from the team’s other star.
Karl-Anthony Towns, who was expected to bring elite scoring and spacing to the Knicks’ offense, has looked nothing like the player they thought they were getting.
Against Milwaukee, Towns played 35 minutes and went just 2-for-12 from the field, missing all three of his three-point attempts and finishing with eight points and 12 rebounds. The stat line tells part of the story, but watching him play told the rest — he looked lost, hesitant, and out of rhythm on both ends.
Towns’ confidence looks shaken amid groin concerns
It’s fair to wonder if the lingering groin injury Towns has been dealing with is hampering his performance. He doesn’t have the same explosiveness or fluidity that made him one of the NBA’s most versatile big men. But even if the injury is playing a role, confidence is clearly an issue. His shot selection looks tentative, and his body language suggests frustration as each miss seems to tighten the grip he once had on his game.
Defensively, Towns has struggled to stay engaged, and his rotations have been slow, giving opponents open looks near the rim. Offensively, he’s forcing shots that don’t come naturally within the flow of the Knicks’ system. For a player known for his smooth shooting and ability to stretch the floor, the regression is hard to miss. His teammates can sense it too — Brunson can only do so much when the second option isn’t playing like one.
Knicks offense needs Towns to find his rhythm
Towns’ season averages paint an even clearer picture of his slump. Through the first stretch of games, he’s averaging 17 points per game while shooting just .352 from the field — a steep drop from the .526 mark he posted last season. For someone with his size, touch, and offensive skill set, those numbers are simply not good enough. The Knicks brought him in to be a difference-maker alongside Brunson, not an afterthought in the offense.
There’s also the adjustment factor. Towns hinted before the season that he was still getting used to the team’s offensive game plan, and that concern appears valid now.
The Knicks’ offense relies heavily on ball movement and timing, and Towns hasn’t looked comfortable finding his spots. It’s possible he’s overthinking every possession rather than playing instinctively — something that can only improve with trust and rhythm.
Time is on his side, but urgency is growing
The good news is that it’s still early. Towns is talented enough to break out of a slump quickly, especially if he gets healthier and reestablishes confidence in his shot. But the Knicks can’t afford to wait too long. They need him to step up now, not weeks from now, if they want to stay afloat in a competitive Eastern Conference.
Without a strong version of Karl-Anthony Towns, the Knicks’ offense becomes predictable — too much weight on Brunson’s shoulders, not enough balance across the lineup. The pieces are there, but the execution isn’t. Until Towns starts playing like the All-Star he’s capable of being, the Knicks will keep paying the price in the win-loss column.