CLEVELAND — One of Karl-Anthony Towns’ most valuable assets could be his outside shooting.
Interestingly, throughout this challenging season, his shot selection doesn’t seem to be the issue.
He faces several deficiencies.
NBA.com’s player tracking shows that Towns’ percentage on open 3-pointers (when unguarded by at least 4 feet) is roughly consistent with last season. In fact, over 95% of his shots from beyond the arc have been open looks.
His attempts have dipped slightly, moving from 4.7 to 4.5 per game. Coach Mike Brown noted this adjustment reflects a deeper rotation and reduced minutes for Towns and other starters.
However, it’s puzzling why Towns’ 3-point shooting percentage has fallen from 42% last season to 36.5% this season. This marks the steepest decline year-over-year in his career.
Despite ongoing conversations about Towns feeling uneasy in the new system, it’s becoming clearer that he simply needs to reclaim his sharpshooting form.
Recently, though, it appears that Towns is finding his rhythm again.
In the last four games, he has averaged 23.8 points per game for the Knicks, shooting an impressive 58.8% from three-point range. Interestingly, he attempted fewer 3-pointers during this stretch than his season average, yet he’s hitting them at an elite rate, earning commendations.
Add to that his strong defensive play; he recently won the Knicks coaching staff’s Defensive Player of the Year award following a 105-99 victory over the Bulls.
Everything seems interconnected.
“Every time I make a shot or get called upon to make a play, I feel more involved and more in the flow of the game,” Josh Hart commented. “Sometimes that’s all a player needs to regain their rhythm. So he made shots with energy, but he also brought a strong defensive presence. He did well today and maintained that effort.”
This type of performance isn’t something you see every day in the NBA.
Heading into Tuesday’s match, both teams had relatively clear injury reports. Myles McBride of New York and Max Strus from Cleveland were the only expected absentees, dealing with their respective injuries.
Mitchell Robinson will be back for the Knicks after sitting out due to rest on the second night of a back-to-back.
The Cavs (36-22) have been on a winning streak since bringing in James Harden and are now just a game behind the Knicks (37-21) for third in the Eastern Conference.
Already, the Knicks have secured a tiebreaker with two victories over the Cavaliers this season, one in the opener and another on Christmas Day.
