Knicks Shortcomings Wrongfully Blamed on Karl-Anthony Towns

There isn’t a player who has been on the court for successful stretches more consistently this season for New York than Towns. His plus/minus ratio of +327 is far and away the best mark on the team. Jalen Brunson is second on the team with +246.

The +327 is tied for 12th in the NBA with Donte DiVincenzo, who was part of the trade package to the Minnesota Timberwolves that brought Towns to New York.

Plus/minus isn’t a perfect statistic, but it paints a good picture of who consistently makes a positive impact when on the court.

Another statistic that Towns has put himself in rare company with is Estimated Plus-Minus. His total EPM is +3.7, which is in the 95th percentile, per Dunks and Threes. There are only 21 players in the NBA who have a better total EPM.

He has put himself in an even more impressive group. Towns has an Offensive EPM of +2.4, which is in the 92nd percentile. His Defensive EPM of +1.4 is in the 90th percentile. That makes him one of only five players in the league who ranked in the 90th percentile or better both offensively and defensively.

Karl-Anthony Towns is in elite company with two-way play

The others are Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder, Derrick White of the Boston Celtics and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, also of the Thunder.

Those defensive numbers from Towns are what will surprise a lot of people. Not known for his performance on that end of the court, he has done an excellent job on that end despite below-average steal numbers and a 61st percentile block rate.

He has made life difficult for opponents as a strong shot contestor. Opponents have made 46.0% of their shot attempts against him this season, which is 2.3% below the expected success rate, per NBA.com.

And, there is even a chance that his EPM numbers improve down the stretch. Towns is in the midst of the worst shooting season of his career, yet he is finding a way to make a positive impact and is showing signs of breaking out of his slump.

Karl-Anthony Towns finding groove offensively

Since the All-Star break, something has clicked for him. Maybe he is starting to feel healthier after some time off, because he has looked much better shooting the ball.

There are still some concerns about his involvement, such as receiving only five shots against the Cleveland Cavaliers. But he is making the most of his opportunities.

Post-All-Star break, Towns is shooting 62.7% from the field, 58.8% on 3-pointers and 87.5% from the foul line. That has resulted in an eye-popping 75.8% effective field goal rate, while scoring 22 points per game to go along with 9.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

His offensive rating, per Basketball Reference, is up to 127, with his defensive rating remaining at 111.