The New York Knicks came into this season as one of the top favorites to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, but their recent play has made them look more like a lottery team than a contender. Last night’s historic blowout over the crosstown Nets aside, this team has been moving in the wrong direction for the last month.
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When the Knicks moved on from former head coach Tom Thibodeau this summer and hired Mike Brown, it was with the idea that he could get them over the hump in the playoffs. An acclimation period was expected as the Knicks adjusted to their new coach’s style, but it’s tough to blame that for their recent struggles seeing as they’ve spent most of the season at No. 2 in the East and even won the NBA Cup.
The Knicks appear to be regressing, and with the trade deadline just two weeks away, there’s speculation that a drastic move could be in the works to right the ship. One idea that’s gaining steam is trading Karl-Anthony Towns, and on yesterday’s Dan Patrick Show, longtime Knicks archnemesis Reggie Miller explained why.
“Something just isn’t clicking chemistry-wise in that locker room,” Miller said. “And having a chance to cover a few of their games this year, I’m surprised, because Karl-Anthony Towns last year under Thibs averaged 24 points, 13 rebounds. All-Star, All-NBA performer. This year, numbers considerably down. Still good, 20 points, 11 rebounds, but his shooting is atrocious.”
Miller pointed to Brown’s offense that demands more pace and space than Thibs’ did as part of the reason for KAT’s dip in production. He flat out said, “He just doesn’t look comfortable under Mike Brown’s system.”
Even Kendrick Perkins believes Towns is the issue in New York. The Knicks need to determine, and quickly, if this is something that will fix itself over time, or if KAT just isn’t cut out to play this way.
Certain players are more comfortable in certain systems, and if KAT is a square peg trying to fit into a round hole, it’s just not ever going to work the way the Knicks want it to.
If Brown can tailor things a bit better towards Towns’ strengths, and Towns can get a better grip on how he fits within Brown’s system, then maybe things can still pan out, but for a team and a fanbase that had designs on a Finals run this year, patience is not easy to come by.
Firing Thibs seemed like a drastic move at the time, especially considering he had just led the Knicks to their deepest postseason run in a quarter of a century.
Brown still has time to prove that the team made the right choice, but as of today, they’re only two spots ahead of being stuck in the play-in tournament. Time is running out to figure out if Towns can be the player they need him to be.
