Karl-Anthony Towns Being Blamed for Knicks’ Defensive Woes Does not Sit Well with Fans: “Trying to make him a scapegoat”

Karl-Anthony Towns was brought in to help the New York Knicks have a second scoring option as part of their goal to win the NBA Title.

Karl-Anthony Towns Being Blamed for Knicks’ Defensive Woes Does not Sit Well with Fans: “Trying to make him a scapegoat”

The Athletic cited sources to pin the blame of Knicks exit on Karl-Anthony Towns (Image via FirstSportz)

The New York Knicks could not finish their 2024-25 campaign the way they started after they lost in 6 games to the Indiana Pacers. Jalen Brunson and the Villanova Boys, along with Karl-Anthony Towns, were supposed to be the perfect mix to end their 5-decade-plus wait for an NBA title.

The franchise gave up a lot of draft picks and other players to create this roster. Initially, it seemed as if the team had covered all the bases, and there was hope among the New Yorkers for a successful run. But throughout the regular season, they had some issues that stopped them from truly dominating.

Primary among them was their inability to win against top playoff teams. However, their 1st and 2nd round playoff series wins dispelled those doubts, suggesting the team figured out how to step up when the occasion demanded it.

Against the Pacers, it was a different dilemma. They were facing a deep team, and along with their own rotational woes, it compounded matters. A few hours after their series-ending Game 6 loss, The Athletic came out with an article where they revealed this:

Publicly, Knicks players made veiled comments all season about poor communication causing their inconsistencies. Behind the scenes, they and coaches expressed frustration with Towns’ defensive habits — less concerned with his talent level and more with his process on that end.

The Athletic’s James Edwards and Fred Katz wrote

James Edwards and Fred Katz also mentioned that the team’s frustrations compounded when Karl-Anthony Towns ran incorrect coverages without an explanation. Their sources clarified that Knicks players were frustrated with KAT’s inability to understand the importance of the situation.

Fans shake their heads as Karl-Anthony Towns gets targeted

Basketball fans reading this article believe this is part of the New York Knicks’ fan base from directing blame towards Karl-Anthony Towns. He did commit some mistakes, but fans believe this article is a way to deflect from other problems that were responsible for their East Finals debacle.

Fans believes Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are liable for Knicks exit
Fans believe Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart are liable for Knicks exit (Image via Open Source/X)

They believe this is a blatant attempt at shifting the numerous problems caused by the Villanova Boys, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. Fans saw a lot of instances where their inability to rise to the occasion cost the Knicks. Instead, they believe New York media is pointing the finger at KAT, as he was the last one in. Check out examples of those reactions below.

Fans tried to remind New York Knicks fans that Karl-Anthony Towns is the reason the team managed to have a fighting chance in the East Finals. It was Brunson’s ball-hogging and defensive woes, along with the lack of fight from Josh Hart and the meager production from Mikal Bridges, that contributed to this loss.

Blaming Karl-Anthony Towns will not mask the Knicks’ inherent problems

The New York Knicks have a decent starting lineup. But their bench is thin, especially when compared to the rosters of both the NBA Finalists. Karl-Anthony Towns was brought in to try and elevate the team. He did so multiple times in the Eastern Conference Finals, despite playing with a troublesome knee.

However, other problems led to their exit. Head coach Tom Thibodeau‘s rotation management was a disaster. Jalen Brunson slowed the game down a lot and wouldn’t pass, which was easy to counter for the faster Indiana Pacers.

Josh Hart, for all his bloodied battles in the 2nd round, looked lost in this series. Mikal Bridges did carry over his elite 2nd round defense to the Finals, but his production was not what is expected of a player the Knicks gave up 5 1st round picks for.

Lastly, in trying to build around the Villanova Boys, the franchise gave up their two star defensive players from last season, Isaiah Hartenstein and Donte DiVincenzo, another Villanova teammate of the Knicks trio. Without their hustling defense, the Knicks could not keep up with the relentless pressure the Pacers created. The top brass will have a lot to think about this offseason.

Also Read: