Knicks Star Draws Mike Brown's Ire for Lack of Effort vs. Kings

The New York Knicks continued their four-game West Coast trip with a stop in California against the Sacramento Kings.

It was a game that had a little extra meaning for head coach Mike Brown, who was fired by the franchise 31 games into the 2024-25 campaign. He would have loved to get a victory over his old team, but it wasn’t in the cards.

The Knicks came out incredibly flat and were never able to find a rhythm during the game. It resulted in an ugly 112-101 loss, punctuated by the loss of star point guard Jalen Brunson. Just about halfway through the first quarter, he suffered an ankle injury in a non-contact situation, looking to roll it.

Without their captain, New York looked disjointed. Their offense did not flow, in large part because they could not knock down shots. The Knicks got some great looks but were unable to execute.

Mike Brown calls out Karl-Anthony Towns after loss to Kings

Jan 14, 2026; Sacramento, California, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks up during the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

A situation like this is exactly what they acquired Karl-Anthony Towns for. A second go-to scorer who could step up alongside Brunson and carry the load whenever he wasn’t on the court. Unfortunately, he failed to step up when the team needed him most, and he drew the ire of his head coach.

With New York trying to build some positive momentum heading into halftime, Towns drove to the basket but turned the ball over as he went to the ground. He slipped attempting to get up, leaving his teammates in a tough spot playing 4-on-5.

They survived, getting a stop. Knowing that Towns was slow getting back into the play, Josh Hart made a very smart play, tipping the missed shot out toward halfcourt, where he assumed his teammate would be.

Alas, Towns never got near midcourt. He remained in the backcourt, while Precious Achiuwa chased down the loose ball, beating Tyler Kolek to it. That created an extra possession for the Kings, who took full advantage with Russell Westbrook knocking down a 3-pointer to extend their lead to 17.

KAT cam for the play in question https://t.co/dmgkBtTsKV pic.twitter.com/X5UK22AY3M
— ALL NBA Podcast (@ALLCITY_NBA) January 15, 2026

After the game, that play was one that Brown spoke about during his press conference, calling out his All-Star center in the process for his lack of urgency and hustle.

The Knicks were not playing well and were desperate for any positive development. That play could have been a spark to get them back into the game, but instead was a five-point flip at the very least.

Had New York secured that defensive rebound and gotten into the open court, it could have cut further into the lead.

One play doesn’t determine the outcome of a game, but it certainly plays a part. Building positive momentum into halftime after arguably the worst half of basketball the team played would have been great to see.

Mike Brown to @JLEdwardsIII on KAT play: "When you fall down you gotta get up…That wasn't the only play, there were a handful we did that, but there was no sense of urgency…it was a 5-point swing…we watched at halftime & he didn't even cross halfcourt. That sums up our night" pic.twitter.com/eEs1N5vae4
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 15, 2026

Things didn’t get any better for Towns from that point on. In the second half, he didn’t score a single point despite Brunson not being in the lineup.

Recent reports state that the friction that existed between Towns and Brown earlier in the season had gone away, and they were in a good spot. That narrative might start to change again with the head coach calling out his star in a post-game press conference.

It will be interesting to see how Towns responds because New York needs him playing at a high level to reach their full potential.

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