Everyone is curious how Mike Brown will fill out the starting lineup on opening night. Karl-Anthony Towns revealing that he lost weight this offseason to prepare to spend more time at power forward is a strong indication that Mitchell Robinson will be sliding into the starting lineup at the center spot.
Steve Popper of Newsday Sports noted that Towns also dropped weight during his time in Minnesota, when the Timberwolves brought in Rudy Gobert and played a double big lineup with Towns as the power forward.
There has been much debate about how the Knicks should start games this year, after their starters logged the most minutes in the NBA last season despite never fully seeming to click as a cohesive unit. Brown has started both pre-season games with Robinson playing alongside Towns, another indication that this could be the group we see on opening night.
Playing big and with pace?
Pace is a word that we have heard nonstop since Brown was named the head coach of the Knicks. His plan is to transform the Knicks from one of the slowest, most methodical teams in the league to one of the quickest. It has been on display through the early goings of preseason, as the tempo has increased and the players have begun adjusting to the new system.
Increasing pace while playing with two bigs is a difficult task. As great as Robinson is, and as much as he brings to the floor, he isn't particularly fleet of foot. Towns shedding some weight should help in that department, especially with Robinson on the floor.
In the playoffs last season, according to pbpstats.com, the Knicks' pace was 95.1 with Robinson on the bench and fell to 93.8 when he was on the floor. Towns being able to get up and down the floor quickly will be needed to offset some of that.
Getting out in transition becomes vital
The Knicks should dominate the glass with Robinson and Towns on the floor, both of whom are two of the best rebounders in the league. The Knicks' other wings will have to do a great job of leaking out when either one of their bigs secures a defensive rebound to start the attack.
If they do so, it also should create plenty of opportunities for Towns to get up the floor as a trailer and hit transition threes in the space that is created by the Knicks' wings flying to the corners.