Mike Brown reveals how Karl-Anthony Towns can produce more on Knicks’ offense

NEW YORK – Karl-Anthony Towns scored just two points in the first half against the Detroit Pistons last Thursday. He made only one of his three shot attempts in the opening frame of the game. However, the game was a tale of two halves for Towns. Center made six of his 11 field goals in the second half and scored 19 points, finishing with 21.

Head coach Mike Brown told reporters after the game that, other than Towns setting the screen a little higher, no major changes were made at halftime, which allowed the All-Star big man to score quickly in the second half. Before Saturday night’s game against the Houston Rockets, Brown revealed how much Towns was responsible for his lack of offensive involvement.

The New York coach has said that any effort to bring success to his players, including Towns, must start with him. On Saturday he put more responsibility on the Center than ever before. Brown explained that the center needs to read opposing defenses and position himself accordingly to capitalize on production opportunities.

“The Cats have to read those moments,” Brown said of Towns’ pick-and-pop involvement in the second half against the Pistons. “Because sometimes they’ll switch. And if they switch and they screw up the switch, you might need to roll… If they don’t switch, and they’re aggressive on the ball, they’ve got to read it, and they’ve got to pop.”

After two-thirds of the season of questions about Towns’ production, the coach told reporters directly: Towns needs to control what he can do, and let the rest fall into place.

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Brown also claimed that Towns could help the Knicks get more out of their superstar point guard, Brunson. The coach explained that the importance of Towns correctly identifying “pop” opportunities is tied to the problems he and Brunson can create for opposing defenses. This pair is only creating problems for themselves if they are not responding to the plans in front of them.

“Because now the only thing they can do is full-rotate,” Brown said of the challenges teams face when Towns screens and gets to the 3-point line. “Because it’s hard. Still.” [Detroit’s] Big guys have great legs, they’re able to run, and they’re fast, and so on. It’s hard for someone to guard Jalen, get a two on Jalen and then come back to a guy like Kat. So, it’s the read, but we have plays designed where he’ll pop. And, or, plays designed for where he’ll roll,” Brown told reporters about Towns’ offensive process.

The Knicks coach is generally less concerned about Towns’ or any player’s results than the actual games. Brown was asked several times about Towns’ relative lack of offensive involvement during the team’s eight-game winning streak. He responded by constantly focusing on the team’s win-loss record at the time. He praised the Center on Saturday, saying it had done a “fantastic” job in adjusting to the new system.

Brown’s pregame comments Saturday regarding the Knicks’ offensive pecking order were clear. Brunson goes first, Towns second, and the remaining chips will fall in any arrangement that suits the matchup. The coach didn’t say Towns needed to demand the ball from teammates. He did not say that the center was not getting the ball often. But it seems he wants Towns to put himself in a better position. This can help everyone involved.