As we roll into the back half of the 2025-26 NBA season, the New York Knicks remain one of the league’s biggest question marks. They’re the team that lifted the NBA Cup in impressive fashion, then followed it up with a 2-9 skid that left fans scratching their heads.
Now? They’ve rattled off four straight wins, including tough road victories over the 76ers and Raptors.
So which version of this team is the real one?
Injuries have certainly played a role in the inconsistency, but that’s not a unique excuse in this league. Every team is banged up by January.
What’s been more concerning for the Knicks is the up-and-down play from key starters - namely OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Of the trio, Towns has been the most unpredictable, and that’s putting it kindly.
Towns was brought in ahead of last season, largely as insurance for the perpetually injured Mitchell Robinson. Robinson ended up missing more time than expected, and under then-head coach Tom Thibodeau, Towns had stretches where he looked like a seamless fit.
But under Mike Brown, it’s been a different story. The production has been inconsistent, the fit awkward, and the frustration - on both ends - is starting to boil over.
Let’s be clear: Towns is still rebounding well. That part of his game hasn’t dipped.
But defensively, he’s been a liability, and offensively, it’s been a rollercoaster. One night he’s spacing the floor and hitting shots, the next he’s racking up fouls, arguing with refs, or slow to get up after a drive gone wrong.
Too often, he's the last man back on defense - either because he’s on the floor or still pleading his case to an official.
Some of the blame falls on the system. Brown has asked Towns to toggle between the 4 and 5 spots, which isn’t easy for any big man.
But we’re well past the early-season adjustment period. If anything, Towns seems to be regressing in that role.
His decision-making on drives has become predictable - and not in a good way. Defenders and referees alike are keyed in on his tendency to hook his man on the way to the basket, and it’s costing him.
The shooting, once a hallmark of Towns’ game, hasn’t been the same either. He’s still letting it fly from deep, but the accuracy isn’t where it was last season.
His mid-range game? Practically vanished.
It’s either a three or a drive to the rim - and the latter too often ends in a missed layup and a fast break going the other way. There’s a glaring absence of the in-between game that could stabilize his offensive presence.
Brown’s offense has leaned into elbow isolations for Towns, rather than post-ups or pick-and-roll actions. The idea is sound in theory - stretch the floor, open up space - but it hasn’t meshed with Towns’ skill set the way the Knicks hoped.
Offensive principles are great, but they need to align with the personnel. And right now, there’s a disconnect between system and player.
That disconnect has led to some tough decisions. Brown has benched Towns for long stretches, especially in tight games.
Part of that is about Towns’ performance, but part of it is about Mitchell Robinson. When Robinson is on the floor, the Knicks’ defense transforms.
He’s a shot-blocking, rim-protecting anchor - and even in limited minutes, his impact is undeniable.
The Knicks are clearly managing Robinson’s workload with the playoffs in mind. He hasn’t played in both ends of a back-to-back all season.
Sometimes he sits the second game, sometimes the first, depending on the matchup. It’s a cautious approach, but a justifiable one given Robinson’s injury history.
The problem? It makes it harder to evaluate Towns in a consistent role.
Without Robinson soaking up 30 minutes a night, the Knicks have been forced to lean on Towns more than they’d like - and the results haven’t been encouraging.
It’s not hard to imagine a different timeline where a healthy Robinson last season means the Knicks never trade for Towns in the first place. That deal cost them Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo - two key pieces in their previous playoff runs.
And now, with Robinson back and playing well (when he plays), the front office is reportedly exploring trade options for Towns. One rumor floating around involves Milwaukee, though it remains to be seen how realistic that is.
For now, the Knicks are stuck in a holding pattern. Towns and Jalen Brunson share the floor in crunch time, but it’s a defensive gamble.
Brunson, to his credit, gives effort on that end and remains the team’s most reliable scorer. Towns?
He rebounds well, but doesn’t offer much else defensively. If one of them has to sit late in games, it’s not going to be Brunson.
So where does that leave the Knicks? In a bit of a bind.
Brown needs to find a way to unlock Towns offensively - whether that means tweaking the system or adjusting his role. Towns, for his part, has to clean up the fouls, stop relying on the hook move, and bring more consistent energy on defense.
And Leon Rose? He may need to get creative if the front office wants to move on from Towns before the trade deadline.
The Knicks have shown flashes of being a legitimate contender. But if they want to make a real run in the East, they’ll need more than just flashes from their starting center.