When Karl-Anthony Towns got traded to the New York Knicks last summer, many expected him to be the missing piece that would help them get over the hump. And while he has been stellar offensively, Towns’ defense has been an issue, as seen in the ongoing Eastern Conference Finals. It’s left many wondering if the star big man can turn it around.
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Is there someone to blame? Not directly. But Iman Shumpert believes it’s on Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau to iron out Towns’ defensive lapses. In Game 2 of the ECF yesterday, Towns had to be subbed out for seven minutes in the fourth quarter—just because of his defense. And that’s not the winning formula New York was after.
Thibodeau needs to figure out a way to keep Towns in the game so he can make an impact on offense. And Shumpert thinks the only way to do that is by challenging him to lock in on defense.
“Do you need to inspire him? Do you need to challenge him to where he knows he needs to wear more of the chip on his shoulder to be a part of the game?” the former Nets player questioned on SportsCenter. “Especially defensively. But his force, his ability on offense… He has to be in there as a threat. That will help Jalen Brunson a little bit as far as just getting cleaner looks.”
Towns was a minus-20 on the court and registered zero steals or blocks during the Knicks’ 114-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers yesterday. He routinely got cooked by Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner, as the duo combined for 55 points.
This simply can’t happen if the Knicks want any chance of reaching the Finals.
Now, the Knicks are trying to do something they’ve never done in franchise history: come back from a 0-2 deficit. That’s right—in their NBA Playoff history, New York is 0-14 when starting a series down 0-2.
Additionally, this is the same Pacers team that ended the Knicks’ season in last year’s playoffs. Now, up 2-0 and heading back to their home court, they must be smelling blood in the water. The series is theirs to lose at this point.
The Knicks need Towns to step up if they want to turn the tide. The question is—can he turn things around? Offensively in Game 1, he put on a masterclass, scoring 35 points on just 17 shots. He even added a steal and a block, and was a +9 while on the floor. So, he’s proven he can do it.
But if Siakam starts going to work on Towns in the low post and mid-range in Game 3, Knicks fans might have a serious problem on their hands. Kudos to Charles Barkley for calling Siakam the most underrated player in the series before Game 1—he’s been right on the money so far.
