Knicks ride Towns’ 33-point outing as Brown tightens nine-man rotation
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Karl-Anthony Towns delivered 33 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the New York Knicks’ 119-102 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday, signaling growing comfort with first-year head coach Mike Brown’s schemes.
“KAT was a monster on the glass, he was really good defensively, he was a monster inside, outside,” Brown said, according to the New York Daily News. “He’s starting to feel and find his rhythm in what we’re trying to do.”
The performance came after Towns had scored fewer than 20 points in three of New York’s first six games. “We’re all figuring it out,” Towns said. “It’s good, we’ve got two wins in a row but we’re obviously still a work in progress.”
Brown trims bench to nine
Brown has used a nine-player rotation in each of the past two games. Against Chicago on Sunday he relied on Josh Hart, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson off the bench. With center Mitchell Robinson sitting out Monday for left ankle injury management, Shamet moved into the starting lineup and Guerschon Yabusele filled the reserve spot. “The last two nights were the best I’ve done for them in terms of rotations,” Brown said. “They kind of knew when they were coming out or going in, who was going to play together.”
Robinson on minute restriction
Robinson has totaled just 33 minutes through seven games, a limitation the club attributes to ongoing ankle precautions. Brown indicated the strategy will remain in place for the foreseeable future: “Whatever they tell me, I’m gonna do.”
Bridges’ expanded role
Mikal Bridges, in his second season with New York and fresh off a four-year extension, is averaging 16.4 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.4 steals while taking on a more vocal leadership role, according to the New York Post.
Hart plays through injuries
Despite hand and ankle issues that have lingered for about three months, Hart contributed 12 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in 26 minutes against Washington. “Little frustrating, but it comes with the territory,” he said.
Source: Hoops Rumors
