Carmelo Anthony gets real on Karl-Anthony Towns learning curve with Knicks
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Although the New York Knicks are in third place in the Eastern Conference, former Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony believes that center Karl-Anthony Towns still has a ways to go to mesh with his team.
“The Knicks are a seamless team, everything flows with them,” Anthony said on the 7 PM in Brooklyn Podcast. “KAT's still got to figure out when to roll, when not to roll. When to pop, when to get in the corner, when not to get in the corner. KAT's still got to figure out his s**t. He's playing well, he's shooting the ball extremely well. I love that he's rebounding the f***ing ball, that's the biggest thing about that. He's still got to figure out his pace with the team.”
In his defense, Anthony Towns was traded to the Knicks only a few weeks before the season began. As a result, he had more of an adjustment than any other player. He didn’t have the summer to train with those guys or learn the system. Anthony Towns is an intelligent player but hasn’t played with star power like this before.
While he played with Anthony Edwards last season, he hasn’t had a point guard like Jalen Brunson. His ability to dice the defense with his savviness and find an open teammate is crucial. Also, Brunson hasn’t played with a big like KAT before.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ adjustment to the Knicks’ offense will take time
Despite Anthony’s take, the Knicks big man is having a near career year. On the season, he’s averaging 26.8 points and 12.2 rebounds. Not to mention, he’s shooting over 50% from the field and three. That spacing has been essential in opening up driving lanes from Brunson, and other slashers like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.
New York has a potent offense, registering the fifth-most points per game in the league. The scary part for the Knicks’ competitors is that Anthony Towns hasn’t found his groove with Brunson yet. There are illegal screens due to misreading the timing, as well as establishing post position too late.
Those things will come with time. After all, KAT had a late start compared to the rest of his teammates. With a convincing win over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday, the center proved to be the X-factor the franchise has needed. They’ll compete with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics as the top team in the Eastern Conference. If KAT figures out his chemistry with Brunson, especially on screens, his productivity could increase even more.
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