If the New York Knicks want to develop a balanced, modern offense, Karl-Anthony Towns has to figure out how to fit within it.
The Knicks have started the season 2–2, but the past two games — losses to the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks — have highlighted growing pains. Tuesday’s defeat in Milwaukee made it clear: Towns is still learning how to operate in a system that doesn’t revolve around him.
It wasn’t a great night for the veteran big man. He shot just 2-for-12 from the field, missed all three of his three-point attempts, and finished with only eight points. His 12 rebounds were solid, but the offensive rhythm wasn’t there. For long stretches, the Knicks’ offense slowed to a crawl when Towns tried to take over, leading to missed shots and stalled possessions.
Adapting to a team-first offense
The Knicks’ offensive philosophy under head coach Mike Brown emphasizes ball movement, spacing, and unselfish play — a big shift for Towns, who’s spent most of his career as a go-to scorer. He’s adjusting from being “the guy” to being part of a larger, more fluid system. That kind of change takes time, especially for a player who’s spent years relying on instinct rather than structure.
In the second half against Milwaukee, the Knicks needed composure and movement. Instead, Towns reverted to old habits, trying to force his own offense when the team began to struggle. He admitted afterward that he pressed too much, recognizing that his instincts got the better of him.
“I gotta do whatever is needed to win, and first half, I played what we needed, how we needed me to play,” Towns said. “The game I felt switched up and I tried to get going just in case we needed me and I just didn’t make a shot, so I pressed a little bit too much today. I didn’t do what we needed to do to win tonight and that’s on me and I take full responsibility on that. Accountability is something big in this locker room and I always will do that.”
Accountability and growth go hand in hand
To his credit, Towns didn’t deflect or make excuses. He took ownership, something that hasn’t always come naturally to stars in transition. He knows this version of the Knicks will only work if he fully buys into the vision. Brunson can lead, but without Towns establishing himself as an efficient, complementary scorer, the offense can only go so far.
“I got a new role. I just gotta embrace it,” Towns said. “I didn’t do that for 48 minutes tonight… it’s Game 4, we just gotta learn. I gotta learn, you know, and I gotta be better. I just gotta be better, just more pace. More pace and … it’s just a different system than we all have recently in basketball. So we’re all finding our spots, and find where we could be the most effective in the system.”
Finding rhythm moving forward
It’s early, and one rough outing doesn’t define a season — but it does underline what the Knicks are trying to build. Towns’ self-awareness is a good sign, and his willingness to adapt will be key if this offense is going to reach its potential. The Knicks don’t need him to take 25 shots a night; they need him to play within the flow, pick his spots, and use his versatility to stretch defenses.
Towns will get another chance to reset Friday night against the Chicago Bulls. For a player with his talent, the breakthrough could come at any moment. The question is, how long will it take for Karl-Anthony Towns to stop thinking about fitting in — and start just playing his game within it?