Tensions on the Bench: Karl-Anthony Towns’ Playing Time Scrutiny

Karl-Anthony Towns seems to be spending more time on the bench during critical moments of games. This trend continued as he sat out the final 6 minutes and 51 seconds during the Knicks’ recent 103-87 victory over the Kings at Madison Square Garden. Coach Mike Brown chose to play Mitchell Robinson instead.

“He saw what he saw,” Towns commented after the game. “We won, and that’s what matters most.”

In this latest outing, Towns recorded 17 points and 11 rebounds but struggled a bit, shooting 5-of-15 from the field. His performance led to a minus-3 rating, the lowest on the team. Interestingly, in the previous game against the 76ers, he also found himself on the bench late in the game, but that was due to fouling out.

Notably, his playing time has been dwindling lately. On Tuesday, Coach Brown opted for a lineup featuring Jalen Brunson, Miles McBride, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Robinson down the stretch. That group managed to effectively dominate the struggling Kings.

“At the end of the game, the group on the floor was performing well,” Brown explained about his strategy. “It was a close contest, so I stuck with them for the finish, which is something I’ve done before. We have players like Deuce and Mitch who aren’t starters, but we needed that win.”

Brown doesn’t seem to hesitate when it comes to making these decisions. He had also benched Bridges during the previous game. “Sometimes you find a combination of players that clicks during the game,” he mentioned, “and you just have to ride that momentum as long as you can.”

As the Knicks roster stands at full strength, Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek have found themselves firmly out of the rotation. Neither player saw any action in the Tuesday win, marking their second consecutive DNP.