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Blake Griffin Has Warning for Knicks About Karl-Anthony Towns

Another night, another analyst calling out New York Knicks star Karl Anthony Towns' defense, and this time Blake Griffin held nothing back.
Jayesh Pagar|
Feb 19, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the first half against Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Feb 19, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the first half against Detroit Pistons at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks came back from the All-Star break and got humbled by the Detroit Pistons, trailing by ten at halftime. It was not a pretty first half, and Amazon Prime's broadcast crew spent a good chunk of it talking about one thing: Karl-Anthony Towns on defense.

This is not the first time someone has sat in front of a camera and picked apart KAT this season. It is starting to feel like a recurring segment. Blake Griffin is just the latest to join that list, and he had plenty to say.

Griffin had broken down KAT's defensive struggles in the halftime show. He started with the foundation.

"Defense is about habits. It's about showing up early, not scrambling late," Griffin said.

The problem, as he saw it, was that Towns kept arriving late to plays that were already decided. He pulled up a specific sequence to show it. KAT had his man in a tough spot but only put up one hand. "Get both hands up and make him finish over the top, not just around one hand," Griffin said. For a 7-footer with that kind of length, that is a play he has to own every time.

Then he pointed to the Tobias Harris possession, where Towns looked lost on the rotation. The answer was simple, Griffin said.

"Have the discipline to get downhill. Use your length without fouling."

Blake Griffin on Why the Knicks Cannot Win a Title With This From KAT

Griffin was careful about how he framed it.

"This isn't about ragging on Karl-Anthony Towns because he's a great player. He has the tools," he said.

But that setup led somewhere direct.

"The NBA is better when the Knicks are contending for a championship and they cannot win a championship with that type of defensive effort."

That was the line that landed.

What made it hit harder was that Griffin clearly believes in what Towns can be.

"When he's engaged and he's talking and he's down, he has all the tools. He can do it," he said.

The talent is not the question. The question is whether it shows up consistently.

"All this right now is just potential and potential gets you hunted in the playoffs," Griffin said.

That is not an insult. That is a warning.

As said earlier, Griffin is not the only one who has said this. Clyde Frazier called KAT's foul trouble "inexplicable" after he fouled out against the Pacers earlier this month.

Draymond Green questioned his toughness on his podcast after their January matchup. Carmelo Anthony watched him acknowledge sideline criticism mid-possession and flagged it as a mental issue. Shannon Sharpe and Joe Johnson piled on after the Pistons game too.

A viral clip caught Jalen Brunson on the bench, scratching his head and grimacing, as Towns drove baseline and got blocked by Paul Reed. No words needed.

The same conversation keeps coming back around. At some point, KAT has to be the one to end it.

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Jayesh Pagar
JAYESH PAGAR

Jayesh Pagar is currently pursuing Sports Journalism from the London School of Journalism and brings four years of experience in sports media coverage. He has contributed extensively to NBA, WNBA, college basketball, and college football content.

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