You might have missed it, but the Knicks weren’t exactly shining during the four All-Star Games on Sunday.
In fact, their presence seemed to leave a rather negative impression.
Just a day after the Knicks showcased their skills in the Shooting Stars Challenge, they had quite a memorable but disappointing outing.
Jalen Brunson’s USA Stripes made it to the finals but ultimately fell short, while Karl-Anthony Towns’ Team World lost both of their matches.
Brunson played somewhat conservatively, which was surprising given the typically fast-paced nature of these games, while Towns’ contributions were nothing short of detrimental.
In the overtime match between Team World and Team Stars, Towns started things off poorly—he sent an air ball on the first shot.
Then, while Team World was ahead 3-2, he made a baffling defensive decision, passing the ball to Jaylen Duren and leaving Scotty Barnes open beyond the arc. Barnes then sank a three-pointer, sealing the fate for Team Stars.
Victor Wenbanyama, who had been making strides in the game, could only shake his head in disbelief at Towns’ misstep.
A two-point shot wouldn’t have been catastrophic, but allowing a three-pointer meant a loss for Team World.
Interestingly, Towns let Manns take a two-point shot, inadvertently focusing on the three-pointer instead.
Norman Powell later commented on that sequence, emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong defense when ahead in a game. “You can’t afford to let them tie it with a three,” he noted.
Noah Eagle, the lead play-by-play announcer for NBC, seemed to think that was a fair point.
Towns managed to score 10 points, which was the second highest after Wenbanyama in that first match.
In the following game, he collected six points against Brunson’s team. In the middle of that game, the two began guarding each other, with Towns hitting a three-pointer from way beyond the arc.
Still, it wasn’t a night celebrating Knicks talent.
Towns’ Team World lost yet again, meaning their day was done. Brunson, on the other hand, played in three matches, leading his Stripes team to a victory over the Stars in the opener and Team World in the second game before losing to the Stars in the final.
Brunson managed a commendable total of 13 points across three games, shooting 7-of-9, which was something worth mentioning, I think.
It was kind of funny that Towns, known for his complaints about being fouled, managed to hit a couple of free throws in this All-Star setting, where fouls aren’t as frequently called.
He got fouled by Barnes early in the game, making both free throws, and later, he nailed a 39-foot three-pointer.
However, as the second half unfolded, it did seem like he bore a significant share of the blame for their defeat.
Overnight, things didn’t improve for the Knicks.
