The New York Knicks got only eight shots from their biggest offseason acquisition, Karl-Anthony Towns in Monday’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The All-Star big man’s usage is now their latest problem as they are off to a slow start to the new season.
The Knicks need to get Karl-Anthony Towns more involved offensively
Jalen Brunson, who also was quiet in the loss with just 21 points on 8-for-24 shooting, blamed himself for the lack of involvement Towns has endured.
“It’s on us,” Brunson said via SNY’s Ian Begley. “It’s on me as a teammate… to make sure we’re all on the same page, making sure everyone’s eating. I’ve got to be better when it comes to that.”
The Knicks added Towns in the offseason to give them an additional shooter in the starting five as well as someone that can score at an All-NBA level. However, he has been underutilized, as he hasn’t taken more than 11 shots in a game this season.
The Knicks’ new players are still trying to figure out their roles
New York is still trying to create chemistry with one another, as it is a brand new team with a completely different identity than last year. Therefore, it is going to take some time for each guy to know what their roles are on the court.
However, the Knicks need to get Towns more involved to enhance the scoring. They have noticeably taken fewer three-pointers than the rest of the league, as they average the fewest three-point attempts per game through the early part of the season with just 28.3 per contest.
Overall, they have shot the ball at a very efficient clip so far, shooting 50.4% from the floor. However, in today’s NBA teams must have strong outside shooting to maximize the potential of their offense. The efficiency from outside is solid (37.6%), but the volume needs to increase to put more pressure on opposing defenses.
More usage from Towns will transform the Knicks’ offense
The solutions to their problems from beyond the arc start with Towns, as he is one of the best shooting centers the league has seen and is a career 40% shooter from downtown. The more shot opportunities he gets, the better the Knicks’ offense will look.
New York will try to get Towns more involved in their next game on Wednesday when they head to Miami to face the Heat, which will be the second consecutive playoff rematch from the 2023 season for them.