Knicks battle mounting fouls and injuries as Towns struggles to stay on the floor
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Karl-Anthony Towns’ continued foul trouble is compounding the New York Knicks’ recent slide, especially with the roster already thinned by injuries. In Thursday’s loss at Golden State, the center picked up two quick fouls while backup Mitchell Robinson sat out for load management, forcing head coach Mike Brown to improvise with a smaller lineup.
“Me telling him not to foul seems redundant,” guard Josh Hart said after the game. “He has to be smarter on defense—show his hands, be solid, be fundamentally sound, and sometimes just lay off the officials.”
Towns ranks fifth in the NBA with 136 personal fouls after finishing third a season ago. Unlike other high-foul players known for physical defense, many of his whistles stem from questionable decisions, according to Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.
“All of our guys—not just KAT—have to lead with their chest and show their hands,” Brown said. “The officials will let you hand-check a bit, but everyone has to be better. It wasn’t one guy; it was the whole team.”
Performance dip raises All-Star concerns
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post notes that Towns’ regression is Brown’s biggest concern midway through the coach’s first season in New York. The 28-year-old is shooting below his career averages and “adjusting slowly” to Brown’s system, potentially jeopardizing a sixth consecutive All-Star selection.
“It’s a learning process for all of us,” Towns said Thursday. “We’re still adjusting and getting used to a new system—especially me.”
Ankle injuries sideline Hart, Brunson
The Knicks will also be without Hart and Jalen Brunson for Friday’s matchup in Phoenix. Brunson will miss his second straight game after spraining his right ankle Wednesday; Brown labeled him “day-to-day.” Hart, dealing with soreness in his right ankle, is being held out as a precaution.
Mid-season review for Brown
With the season at its midpoint, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post published an evaluation of Brown’s tenure to date, highlighting both strategic adjustments and areas still in need of improvement.
Source: HoopsRumors
