Are the Knicks Unlocking Karl-Anthony Towns’ Best Weapon?

Karl-Anthony Towns can give the Knicks more than scoring. Explore how pick-and-pop actions, elbow touches and better spacing could elevate their offense.

Karl-Anthony Towns can influence an offense before he takes a shot. A defender following him away from the basket creates space. A second defender moving toward him opens a passing opportunity. A screen can force an opponent to choose between protecting the paint and covering the perimeter.

For the New York Knicks, the tactical question is how consistently they can turn those reactions into good possessions.

The Karl-Anthony Towns Knicks offensive role deserves attention beyond his scoring total. His combination of shooting, interior play and passing offers several ways to organize an attack, especially when opponents focus on Jalen Brunson.

This is an examination of those possibilities, rather than a claim that the Knicks are already using Towns incorrectly. Establishing that would require a detailed review of his touches, lineup combinations and the defensive coverage he faces.

The Pick-and-Pop Can Create More Than a Three-Pointer

A screening action involving Brunson and Towns forces the defense to account for two scoring threats.

If Towns moves toward the perimeter after setting the screen, his defender must decide how far to follow. Staying near the basket can leave room for a jumper. Moving higher can create a driving lane for the ball-handler.

The value extends beyond the first decision. If another defender rotates toward Towns, a teammate may become available elsewhere.

For New York, the opportunity is to keep that sequence moving. Towns needs to recognize whether the best option is a shot, a drive against the closeout or an immediate pass.

The most productive outcome may be the opening created for someone else. Evaluating the action only through Towns’ shot attempts would miss that contribution.

Elbow Touches Could Give the Offense Another Starting Point

Receiving near the elbow—the area beside the free-throw line—would allow Towns to see multiple parts of the floor.

From there, he could facilitate a handoff, find a cutter or face the basket. The defense would have to respond to the possibility of both a shot and a pass.

Those touches would require purposeful movement around him. A stationary group would make the possession easier to defend, regardless of the quality of the passer.

One teammate might cut through the lane while another comes toward the ball. A third could maintain spacing on the opposite side. The aim would be to create a useful decision before the defense becomes comfortable.

This approach could diversify the offense without demanding that every possession begin with a guard attacking off the dribble.

Switching Defenses Present a Decision, Not an Automatic Isolation

When an opponent switches a smaller player onto Towns, the Knicks may have an opportunity to attack inside. But recognizing a mismatch and exploiting it efficiently are separate tasks.

A slow entry pass can give help defenders time to prepare. Teammates standing too close can crowd the possession. Waiting too long to make a decision can erase the initial advantage.

An effective response would involve an early seal, a clear passing angle and movement that makes defensive help costly.

Sometimes the best result might be a shot near the basket. In another possession, drawing a second defender and passing quickly could produce a cleaner look outside.

The important measure is whether the switch generates an efficient opportunity, rather than whether Towns finishes the play himself.

Towns Could Help Organize the Non-Brunson Minutes

Using Towns as an offensive reference point is also worth considering during Brunson’s rest periods.

A lineup could initiate through a post touch, an elbow entry or a screening action, sharing the decision-making among several players. That would give the group a structure without expecting another guard to reproduce Brunson’s approach.

The surrounding personnel would determine whether it works. Towns would need outlets, cutting and enough shooting to prevent defenders from collapsing toward him.

Staggering minutes is one possible way to explore those combinations. It remains a tactical option to evaluate, not a guarantee that every Towns-led unit would succeed.

Better Involvement Does Not Simply Mean More Touches

Increasing a player’s touches can help, but only if those touches arrive in useful situations.

Receiving late in the shot clock against an organized defense is different from catching the ball while opponents are rotating. A touch far from any supporting action may offer less value than a quick involvement that creates an immediate advantage.

For Mike Brown, the task is to connect Towns’ opportunities with the movements of the other four players.

That includes what happens after he passes. Rescreening, relocating or moving toward the basket could allow him to influence the possession a second time.

The Knicks Need His Skills Working Together

Towns’ offensive versatility gives New York several options. The strongest approach would allow those options to support one another: shooting that opens driving lanes, interior pressure that creates perimeter opportunities and passing that rewards movement.

Contract discussions should remain separate from that evaluation. Decisions about offensive usage can be assessed through the basketball itself.

The question is whether Towns’ involvement consistently makes the next action easier for the Knicks. If it does, his contribution can extend well beyond the points beside his name.