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Knicks Really Missing Karl-Anthony Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns' absence has affected the New York Knicks.

Jeremy Brener

Jan 4, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots the ball against Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Jan 4, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots the ball against Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images / David Banks-Imagn Images
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The New York Knicks lost their most recent game at the hands of the Orlando Magic, and they could have really benefited from having Karl-Anthony Towns in the lineup.

Towns was sidelined with a knee injury, forcing Jericho Sims to start in his place.

With Towns not on the court, it was clear that there was a dynamic missing from the Knicks lineup.

“Obviously it’s a huge difference," Josh Hart said about Towns' absence h/t Posting and Toasting. "His ability to space the court, his ability to play off the catch, he really opens things up for a lot of guys.

“Him not being out there it’s a different pace, it’s a different game that we’re playing. We’ve got to recognize that and try to find ways to get easier baskets in transition, getting stops and pushing it.”

Even with Towns not on the floor, it cannot be an excuse for the Knicks. They have to find ways to recover from him not being out there on the court.

“Whoever is in there, it’s a next-man-up mentality. Towns obviously brings a lot to the game, but it’s unfair to the rest of the guys on the team, who put in all the work, to say without him we weren’t able to do a lot," Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson said.

“We just need to come ready to play with energy, regardless of what happens.”

With the season approaching the halfway mark, the Knicks need to get used to not having their full team out there every night. If they can do that, they should be able to find more success in the long run.

The Knicks will return to the court tonight to face off against the Toronto Raptors. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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