Mike Brown wasn’t pulling any punches after watching his New York Knicks fall 112-101 to the Sacramento Kings. The head coach called out Karl-Anthony Towns straight up for what he saw as a lazy play that killed the team’s momentum late in the second quarter.
Brown said Towns didn’t bother sprinting back on defense after he hit the floor. And that decision? It cost New York points they really couldn’t afford to give up.
The Knicks have dropped six of their last eight games now.
That’s a pretty rough stretch that’s sent them tumbling back down the standings in what’s turning into a brutal Eastern Conference race. Brown’s public criticism of Towns says a lot about how frustrated things are getting inside that locker room.
The Play That Set Brown Off
Here’s what happened: there’s under two minutes left in the second quarter when Towns drives to the basket. Precious Achiuwa strips the ball and Towns goes down.
But instead of popping right back up and hustling back on defense, Towns just stayed on the floor.
That let Achiuwa grab the long rebound and find Russell Westbrook wide open in the corner for three. Just like that, Sacramento’s lead ballooned to 17 points.
Brown called it a five-point swing – and he clearly sees it as part of a bigger problem with how urgent his team’s playing right now.
“When you fall down, you’ve got to get up and sprint,” Brown told reporters. He added that even if you’re gonna be the last guy back, you still need to hustle. You never know when a long rebound’s coming your way.
Mike Brown leaves the floor without any interactions with Doug Christie or any other Kings players.
– MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA)
Brown’s Not Playing Around
Look, Brown wasn’t trying to destroy Towns or anything. But he definitely used this moment to hammer home a point about effort and accountability.
He made it clear that Towns’s play wasn’t some isolated incident. The whole team’s been lacking urgency, according to Brown. They need to stick to the game plan and bring consistent intensity every single night.
You can tell the pressure’s really building on this Knicks squad as they hit the the middle of the season.
The offense looked rough against Sacramento – they shot just 39 percent from the field and went an absolutely brutal 8-for-41 from three-point range.
Brown’s message couldn’t be clearer: it doesn’t matter how good your plays are if guys aren’t willing to put in the effort.
What’s Next for Towns and the Knicks
Towns is a three-time All-Star and supposed to be one of New York’s go-to offensive weapons. But he finished this one with just 13 points on 6-of-20 shooting and never really got anything going.
His teammates and coaches have talked up his scoring all season long. But nights like this? They’re raising some serious questions about whether he’s bringing it on both ends of the floor.
Brown’s public callout could spark some pretty interesting conversations behind closed doors about roles and what’s expected from everyone. With the Eastern Conference getting tighter by the day, the little things – like hustling back on defense – might be what separates teams making a deep run from teams watching from home.
The Knicks need to figure this out fast.
