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Jan 9, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates a shot against the Phoenix Suns in the second half at Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Knicks Title Hopes Lie with Karl-Anthony Towns

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By BJ Matthews | Last updated Jan 13, 2026 5:00 PM ET

It takes a lot to win a championship.

Everything must go right. With that being said, everyone must be on the same page meaning to know your role and do it to the best of your abilities. The key player that unlocks the door for the New York Knicks is their All-Star big man Karl Anthony Towns.

Much like you cannot teach height, it goes hand in hand that you cannot teach talent. Some people are born with more physical gifts than others. Towns is a 7’0 center that has great size, athleticism and a sweet three point shot that right now sits at 39.8% over the course of his career. That’s insane for a player in his position. However, Towns is the only center to win a three-point shootout in NBA history, so his abilities are not a surprise. His athleticism is up there with any other big man in the NBA.

Towns has the most ability on the team.

Despite his talent/ability, he has struggled this year more than any other season where his numbers have been a career low across the board. Much of that can be attributed to Knicks head coach Mike Brown’s game plan, who acknowledged that Towns has had to make the biggest adjustment on the team.

“I’ve said this before: It’s not all on KAT to adjust to and adapt to what we must do. He’s had the hardest adjustment period because he’s had to learn the most," Brown said. "In the same breath, I have to make sure that I help him by simplifying what we do and making sure I’m putting him in the right spots and then he’s got to do the things necessary to help out, as well.”

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown and center Karl-Anthony Towns Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Towns was benched for the last 9:24 seconds of their 123-114 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. Brown attributed it to not wanting to disrupt the flow of the game, and how the group of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, O.G. Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson were playing.

While Brown’s statement is understandable, a player of Town’s caliber should be able to work with any lineup. Besides that, Knicks Forward Josh Hart was reinserted back in the game during the 9:24 mark Towns was out for the entire time. So, Brown will need to come back with a better explanation of why his All-Star Forward was kept out during the stretch of the game.

Towns has had the most playoff success on the team.

Towns, 30, is in the prime of his 10-year NBA career. The three-time All-Star is no stranger to the playoffs. Over the last two seasons, he has been a main contributor to back-to-back Conference finals with the Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves.

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The only player on the active roster who has been part of a team that has gone further than the NBA finals is Anunoby, back when the Toronto Raptors won the NBA title in 2019. He was unable to participate due to an emergency appendectomy.

The bottom line

This is the time of his career where it should be no question where Towns stand on a basketball team. It seems as if much of this season is exactly what's been the case. An that's a problem. Yes, the biggest challenge with Towns is from the neck up, which is his IQ.

That is where coaching comes in. Where he is supposed to be offensively and defensively on a night-to-night basis comes down to scheming and game planning. A player of Towns caliber for the Knicks cannot afford to go to waste.

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

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