Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns admits team is still learning Mike Brown’s system

Mike Brown’s first season as New York Knicks head coach is nearing the end. Though the Knicks currently sit as the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a 37-22 record, not every game has been aesthetically pleasing.

The Knicks are still learning Mike Brown’s system

In fact, one could argue that they have yet to hit their stride all season. Inconsistency has been their identity up to this point, from Karl-Anthony Towns having a down year to the team enduring big winning and losing streaks.

Towns admitted that they are still in the learning phase of Brown’s system he has in place for his team.

“Right now, we’re all trying to figure it out. We’re still trying to figure out the system, the new things we’re doing, the nuances that go with it and the changes we’re trying to make. It’s still a work in progress,” Towns said via James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.

“I know, being in New York, everyone wants a finished product right now. People want instant gratification, but we’re still trying to figure out a lot.”

The players need to be on the same page as the head coach

Growing pains were expected to happen with a new system in place, and they faced their true sense of adversity in January. They went on a 2-9 stretch that included losses to the Mavericks and Kings, and they were among the worst defenses in the league during that stretch.

They followed that up with eight straight wins to erase all the bad, but they were pounced by the Detroit Pistons at home, a team they have struggled with all season. While they seem to be a strong playoff team, it is worth questioning if they have really taken a step forward this season.

Evidently, the players are still not fully grasping Brown’s coaching, which is not a good sign nearly 60 games into the season. Additionally, most of the roster from last season was retained this season, so the players should understand each other’s playstyle and roles by now. The fact that not everyone is in lockstep is a concern.

Luckily, it is not doomsday for the Knicks yet. They still have about two months to figure it all out before the playoffs, where there will be no margin for error. Ideally, they hit their stride right before the playoffs and can enter the postseason feeling confident about their chances.