Karl-Anthony Towns has carved out a career as one of the most productive big men in NBA history. Health permitting, he should go on to retire as a member of both the 20,000-point and 10,000-rebound clubs, as well as one of the most productive three-point shooters in the history of his position.
For as compelling as those facts and trajectories may be, Towns has spent his career being followed by a narrative that he can't be trusted during must-win games.
Towns is in his 10th NBA season, with four postseason appearances currently to his name. The New York Knicks are well on their way to adding to that tally, and the 29-year-old has played a massive role in that success.
As the playoffs approach, however, Towns' critics continue to point to a history of lackluster showings in big moments as a reason to doubt the Knicks' legitimacy as contenders.
Perhaps the concerns are overblown. One simply can't ignore the fact that he averages 4.3 fewer points per game for his career in the playoffs than he does in the regular season, due in no small part to a steep decline in efficiency from a slash line of .524/.401/.837 to .468/.350/.824.
With Jalen Brunson sidelined and the Knicks in need of superstar-caliber performances, however, Towns is beginning to prove that he's a different player than the one his critics know.
Karl-Anthony Towns raising his game when many expect him to stumble
There's admittedly no way around the fact that Towns' past shortcomings were coming back to haunt him in recent weeks. Between Jan. 29 and Mar. 12, he posted seven games with 13 or fewer shot attempts and nine with no more than 15.
It was an alarming display of the lack of aggressiveness that had become a significant element of his reputation with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the seven games since, however, Towns has kept the Knicks afloat by turning in some of his most impressive performances to date. He's averaging 19.9 field goal attempts per game during that time, attempting fewer than 20 shots just twice—with marks of 17 and 19.
The results have been remarkable, as Towns has posted averages of 28.4 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.3 offensive boards, 3.9 assists, and 2.4 three-point field goals made per game on .532/.447/.773 shooting.
The obvious counterpoint is that New York is 3-4 during that time, including an atrocious 115-98 loss to the lowly Charlotte Hornets. It followed that defeat by winning back-to-back games, however, during which time Towns posted a 26-point, 12-rebound, and 11-assist triple-double.
It's also worth noting that the Knicks are scratching and clawing their way to avoiding disaster while playing each of the past seven games without franchise player Jalen Brunson.
There will obviously be nights when the Knicks need Towns to take a step back as a scorer and prioritize a different area of the game. New York is 21-9 when Towns scores at least 25 points, however, and it needs him now more than ever as a scorer.
Reputations are often unchanged until the playoffs, but Towns is certainly creating positive momentum toward rewriting his.