The New York Knicks made an all-in move this summer when they acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves. It's safe to say they haven't gotten off to the start they were hoping for, posting a 4-5 record.
The Knicks' defense has been their Achilles heel early this season. They rank 21st on that end of the floor, allowing 111.2 points per game on 48.0 percent shooting, the NBA's fifth-highest mark. A shockingly bad Towns stat is at the center of their struggles.
“Karl-Anthony Towns is allowing 91.4% shooting [at the rim]. I’ll repeat that, 91.4% shooting,” ESPN's Tim Bontempts said on The Hoop Collective. “Players are shooting 32 for 35 against Karl Towns in the restricted area this season. That's obviously the worst defensive percentage for any player who has guarded at least 30 shots at the rim. There are 57 guys who have defended at least 30 shots. Who do you guys think are the second and third worst guys past Karl Towns?”
“Josh Giddey has given up 29 for 34 shooting. He’s second, and third is Cam Thomas, who’s given up 23 for 31 shooting. Karl Towns, though, is worse than both Josh Giddey and Cam Thomas at the rim. [That's a] slight problem for a team that traded for him to be their anchor at center.”
With Mitchell Robinson sidelined, the Knicks are depending on Towns as their starting center. His shortcomings as a defensive anchor were well-documented throughout his time with Minnesota.
Karl-Anthony Towns defensive struggles taking toll on Knicks
The Timberwolves ranked 24th or worse defensively in five of Towns' first six NBA seasons. Their best defensive season during that span came in 2019-20 when they ranked 20th with the center playing only 35 games.
Following years with Towns as their primary center, Minnesota made a massive move to sure up their rim protection during the 2022 offseason, trading five first-round picks and a first-round pick swap for Rudy Gobert. After they inserted Gobert and moved Towns to power forward, their defense ranked 10th in 2022-23 and first in 2023-24.
With Robinson sidelined until December or January, New York will continue to lean on Towns at center in starting and closing lineups. The team has limited options at the position, with Jericho Sims playing 13.2 minutes per game as their top backup.
Following a promising 2023-24 campaign, the Knicks pushed their chips in the middle this offseason. They acquired Towns and Mikal Bridges for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Bojan Bogdonavic, six first-round picks and a first-round pick swap.
While New York has the NBA's second-ranked offense, both acquisitions have struggled defensively to start the season.
The Knicks will have a prime opportunity to get back on track over the next week. They'll travel to face the battered Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday before a four-game home stretch featuring two matchups against the Brooklyn Nets and individual meetings with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards.
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