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Knicks Duo Draws Shaq and Kobe Comparison

A former NBA All-Star hopes to see the New York Knicks use their two headliners in a familiar fashion.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Nov 18, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) takes a shot against Washington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (20) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Nov 18, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) takes a shot against Washington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (20) during the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Former NBA All-Star Gilbert Arenas wants to see the New York Knicks attain a bit of West Coast championship flair.

Arenas suggested that the Knicks' headliners switch places on the metropolitan hierarchy on his web series "Gil's Arena," reasoning that a majority of the offense should flow through Karl-Anthony Towns rather than Jalen Brunson. Such a switch, Arenas argued, could give the Knicks a similar set-up to that of the Los Angeles Lakers during their championship heyday at the turn of the century, which was led by interior force Shaquille O'Neal and backcourt legend Kobe Bryant.

"I'm going to say it: I think KAT should be the No. 1 option," Arenas remarked (h/t KnicksMuse on X). "I think it would take a lot of pressure off of Brunson carrying the team. It's like the Shaq/Kobe style: Shaq is option one in [periods] one through three. Five, six minutes left, it goes to Kobe."

"I think that's what this one should be. We're going to use Towns, as long as he's getting it rolling, use him. I'll find my way, keep myself involved, but a majority of the shots is going to go to him and then in the last four, five minutes, [Brunson] gets to take over."

Bryant and O'Neal, of course, led Los Angeles to three consecutive championships and have gone down as one of the most iconic tandems in NBA history. The Knicks have a good bit of their future invested into Brunson and Towns and would hope for even a smidgen of success the SoCal-branded dueo experienced as Lakers.

Despite a slow start, the new-look Knicks are starting to make things right: the team won the last three parts of a four-game homestand including a dominant 134-106 shellacking of the Washington Wizards on Monday night. Either Brunson or Towns has led the Knicks in scoring in all but one of their 14 games this season and are 3-2 when the latter takes the honor, compared to 4-4 for the active Knicks captain.

The two will look to flex their muscles on an upcoming five-game road trip, tied for the Knicks' longest this season, which tips off on Wednesday in Phoenix (10 p.m. ET, ESPN).

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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