Apr 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) is fouled by Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) as he drives to the basket during the second quarter of game two of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Knicks Address Karl-Anthony Towns' Lack of Involvement

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Maggliocchetti | Last updated Apr 23, 2025 6:00 PM ET

The New York Knicks want to ensure that there's no KAT nap like there was in the finally period of their latest postseason heartbreaker.

Karl-Anthony Towns was involved in the wrong headlines after Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinal series with the Detroit Pistons earlier this week: the touted import was almost entirely kept off the stat sheet during fourth quarter action, which saw Detroit steal not only a 100-94 victory but also homecourt advantage from the Knicks, as the best-of-seven series is now knotted at one game apiece. Towns played the entire fourth quarter and pulled in but two rebounds without getting a shot off, the first time in his career that he played an entire final period without a try from the field.

In the aftermath, head coach Tom Thibodeau stopped short of fully condemning Towns' inactivity and kept that rolling as his team prepared for Game 3.

Tom Thibodeau is asked about Karl-Anthony Towns' lack of involvement in the offense in the second half of Game 2:

"If they're going to commit to two or three people on him, I don't want him forcing shots. But there's things that he can do and we can do to get him a second and… pic.twitter.com/im6Z2WTz1k
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 23, 2025

"If they're going to commit to two or three people on him, I don't want him forcing shots," Thibodeau said. "But there's things that he can do and we can do to get him a second and third look, so that's what we have to try to do and then there's ways in transition that we can search him out as well."

Stefan Bondy of the New York Post's deep dive noted that Towns touched the ball on only three of the Knicks' 24 possessions in the final period, holding it for but two minutes, fewest among the primary men. Detroit's tenacious defense certainly earned its props, but the Knicks' most prominent representatives have been willing to accept their role in Towns' struggles.

"Be aggressive when I get the chance to make a play. I've been double-teamed, triple-teamed most of my career...I'm pretty comfortable with that situation happening"

- Karl-Anthony Towns on his offensive game ahead of Game 3 pic.twitter.com/aiZUiEEurs
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 23, 2025

Captain and point guard Jalen Brunson, for example, shouldered a good part of the blame, claiming it was up to him to "set the table" for his fellow headliners. Towns himself, however, offered to take the challenge head-on, willing to accept Thibodeau's fear of a defensive crackdown.

"Be aggressive when I get the chance to make a play," Towns said when asked about the key to avoiding further blanks in another video from SNY. "I've been double-teamed, triple-teamed most of my career. I feel like I can do a pretty good job on that. I'm pretty comfortable with that situation happening."

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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