New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns is having a very rough start to the road trip. The shooting woes have continued, and his defense continues to cause problems inside the paint.
Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns is having a rough stretch
Against the Orlando Magic, Towns shot just 2-for-6 from beyond the arc. Since scoring 39 points against the Miami Heat last Friday, he is shooting just 4-for-19 from outside the arc, a concerning trend for the big man who is known to be a lethal shooter.
Furthermore, the defensive lapses continue to be an issue. The Knicks allowed 64 points in the paint to the Magic on Saturday, with Towns and Mitchell Robinson providing no resistance down low whatsoever.
The Knicks need Towns to get going more than ever. With OG Anunoby out for the foreseeable future with a hamstring strain, they need Towns to step up as the second option and deliver positive results.
Towns’ struggles affect the entire team
Towns is clearly still adjusting to the new system, but that doesn’t excuse the poor play either. Without his usual shooting prowess, the Knicks are unable to obtain that dream offense they are looking for, which includes a ton of three-point shooting.
With him shooting poorly, New York has very few secondary options they can go to and provide Jalen Brunson support. Mikal Bridges has been solid, but he hasn’t been aggressive enough on the offensive end to take over games.
The big man is playing far from an All-Star, and it’s certainly a concerning trend. The expectation for Towns has always been to be that second top option who can consistently have big performances, but he has been the opposite of consistent up to this point.
Towns will hope to wake up in their next game on Monday against the Brooklyn Nets.