Knicks Feeding KAT Is a Long Overdue Change for the Better

There were a few glaring issues that plagued the New York Knicks during the opening three games with the Atlanta Hawks. We can look at Mike Brown’s coaching. The ball hogging and struggles on defense from Jalen Brunson. There were also the invisibility acts of Mikal Bridges and ghastly shooting from Josh Hart.

One other clear problem was not the play of Karl-Anthony Towns, but his usage. The six-time All-Star averaged 21.3 points and 11 rebounds. He was +30 in 101 minutes on the court, including a whopping +22 in 34 game three minutes. But there was no justification for Towns averaging 34 minutes per contest and just 12.3 shots.

This was always supposed to be a KAT-heavy series, especially considering Atlanta’s lack of options up front aside from 6-foot-10 Onyeka Okongwu. With Brunson not playing up to his assassin standard and being chased around by Dyson Daniels, the captain doesn’t need to put worry about putting the cape on every night. The Knicks have seeming finally come to this realization. Better a week late than never.

Too often, the Knicks seemingly forget Towns is on the team

The Knicks are heading back to Madison Square Garden tied at two games a piece thanks to unleashing the KAT. Towns was in complete control in Game 4 en route to 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 dimes. That earned him his first playoff triple-double, becoming just the fourth Knicks player do so along with Josh Hart last year, Walt Frazier (four times) and Dick McGuire.

Only Luka Doncic and Ben Simmons had previously recorded a playoff triple-double in under 30 minutes – Towns played 29. He's only hit the benchmark four times in 720 regular season games, including one earlier this month against Memphis. A game that Brunson coincidentally didn't play.

Through the first three games of this series, Towns recorded 20 drives. On those excursions to the basket only a single pass was recorded and three turnovers. He's never made great decisions on the fly, but he's an excellent stationary passer and New York really leaned into his underrated passing abilities.

Unlocking Towns as a hub on offense is what Brown was brought in to do. We've only seen it intermittently throughout the year, but New York didn't get these type of system buckets under Tom Thibodeau. The game plan included a motion-heavy scheme and pinch post stuff that saw Towns thrive. It was a noticeable and needed shift, even though the coach wouldn't reveal much after the 114-98 victory.

"We just switched our early offense up," Brown told Stefan Bondy of the NY Post. "I'll explain to you off the record one of these times."

All the scoring in the world from Brunson alone isn’t going to be enough to push this group deep into spring. Towns needs to stop being the nice guy. The big man must start demanding the rock more and punishing whoever guards him. No more settling — attack and make smaller defenders pay on every possession.

This season was the full KAT experience. The good, the bad and the ugly. Saturday night was as pretty as it gets.

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