Can Karl-Anthony Towns 'Bottle' Emotional Intensity?

With Gobert, Towns' role was moved, and it allowed the former top overall pick to focus more offensively than defensively. It also helped that Minnesota reached the Western Conference Finals with that very alignment. 

Towns is now in New York, though, and his role with the Knicks is back to what it once was in Minnesota. 

And that leaves the All-NBA center scrambling to figure out what works in his new city.

“It’s an adjustment. Got to adjust, all of us are trying to get more acclimated with each other. It’s a team game," Towns said. "We’ve got to bottle up that kind of defensive intensity and execution and take it into every single game.”

Through the first 10 games of the season, the former Timberwolf has recorded over 24 points per game on 50% shooting from both the field and from three. 

If those numbers were to hold, they would be the most efficient season he has had at the offensive side, while recording more points than in the last few years. 

While Towns' defense continues to be a work in progress, the Knicks have been patient with him as he gets his bearings in back in his natural role. The quicker he improves his defense, though, the quicker the Knicks get back to being contenders.