Karl-Anthony Towns believes his struggles this season stem largely from adjusting to the New York Knicks’ offensive system. He said the transition has been tougher than expected and has affected his rhythm on the court.
More than two months into the season, Towns admitted that learning head coach Mike Brown’s approach has taken time. His comments came after another quiet performance against the Detroit Pistons on Monday, which resulted in a 121-90 loss for New York.
“Different system,” Towns said. “It’s just different.”
In Minnesota, Karl-Anthony Towns was a central part of the Timberwolves’ offense, particularly for his ability to score inside and stretch the floor. Over time, especially as Anthony Edwards emerged, the offense became more shared.
With the Knicks, Towns is playing in a more structured system that emphasizes quick reads and ball movement, which has resulted in fewer on-demand touches and less freedom to create compared to some of his Minnesota seasons.
“Biggest adjustment is for me. Like Mike said, I make the biggest sacrifice,” Towns said. “We’re figuring it out. We’ve got a long flight, a practice tomorrow, we’ve got to sit down and figure out who we are and how we want to get back on track.”
After the recent poor outing, the 30-year-old is now averaging 21.5 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from three-point range. Those numbers are down from last season, when he posted 24.4 points per game on 52.6 percent shooting overall and 42 percent from deep.
Even so, Towns was not the least effective starter for New York in the recent game. That distinction belonged to OG Anunoby, whose hopes of earning his first All-Star selection continue to fade. Anunoby finished with just five points, and the Knicks were outscored by 31 points during his 29 minutes on the floor.
As the season continues, attention will remain on whether Towns can turn his explanation into results on the floor. His ability to adjust could play a major role in shaping the Knicks’ success moving forward.
