Knicks Struggle Against Hornets, Towns Benched Again

In Charlotte, N.C., Coach Mike Brown decided to keep Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench while the Knicks faced a tough time against the Hornets, especially struggling with rebounding and Charlotte’s pick-and-roll strategies.

In their recent 114-103 defeat to the Hornets, Towns, an All-Star center, saw limited playtime again, marking the second consecutive game he couldn’t finish. Instead, Mitchell Robinson took on a larger role.

“I’m just going to do my best to support my teammates, and every time my number is called, I’ll strive to be the best I can,” Towns remarked after putting up 13 points in 22 minutes on the floor.

Brown acknowledged the rebounding issues—the Knicks were dominated on the boards 43-24—was a significant factor in his decision to play Robinson more.

But what about other factors? “We believed putting Mitch in alongside certain players would match their physicality,” Brown explained. “That worked out, but at that moment we were already down by 20. It’s not easy against a strong team on the road.”

Towns returned to the game with eight minutes left, but by then, the Knicks were trailing by 21 points. They managed to cut the deficit to 10 points in the final two minutes, but it wasn’t enough.

Robinson ended the game with 26 minutes and six rebounds. Interestingly, it was the first instance this season where he played more minutes than Towns while both were available.

Just two nights earlier, Towns was again benched during a win against the Pelicans due to a small lineup.

With the ongoing debate in the NBA around load management, Towns expressed pride in consistently being able to play. “I’ve certainly had my share of ups and downs this year. But I want to play. I love it,” he stated. He emphasized the importance of showing up for fans, especially kids who save up to see players like him. “It would be disrespectful to them not to play,” he added.

Having missed only four games this season, Towns is on track to play the most games since at least 2018-19. He also meets the NBA’s 65-game standard for postseason awards, which has been a sticking point for the players’ association, especially after the case with Cade Cunningham’s injury.

“We need to reassess the situation, hopefully reach a compromise that reflects our fans’ understanding while also valuing our players,” Towns, who serves as vice president of the players’ association, concluded.