As great a player as Karl-Anthony Towns is, he can be frustrating to watch sometimes. He picks up an unnecessary foul or two nearly every game, which often leads to him sitting on the bench because of foul trouble.
That happened in the season opener on Tuesday against the Philadelphia 76ers, when Towns picked up his second foul with 8:46 remaining in the first quarter. He didn’t return until 7:03 remaining in the second quarter.
The next time Towns is forced to the bench for a long time, Mike Brown should look to play James Wiseman for a short stint.
Drummond slowed down in the second half
Altogether, Towns was off the floor for 13:43 of game time—more than a full quarter. It was an all-too-familiar sight for Knicks fans to watch the six-time All-Star get into early foul trouble.
Now, New York’s new backup center, Andre Drummond, played spectacularly over that stretch. He looked spry and dominated with a double-double in the first half alone. The 32-year-old played the entire time that Towns sat, and he played nearly 18 minutes in the first half.
The second half was a different story for Drummond. Joel Embiid blocked a couple of his shot attempts at the rim. He air-balled a close-range push shot near the rim. It was, quite frankly, a tale of two halves for Drummond.
Wiseman should get some run
Last year, Mike Brown used the regular season to experiment with lineup combinations and collect data. After one game, he likely realized Drummond can’t be overtaxed, as he was in the first half on Tuesday and had little left to give after halftime.
That’s where Wiseman comes in. The second overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft won the training camp battle that the Knicks staged to earn a roster spot. Wiseman performed well in his four preseason appearances, averaging 8.0 points and 4.3 rebounds in 11.5 minutes.
Listed at 6-foot-11, Wiseman can step on the court and not hurt the team—even if only for a couple of minutes. Honestly, there will be times when the Knicks need him, like when either Towns or Drummond needs to sit out for at least a game. Getting him reps now could be important down the road.
Brown previously used three centers in a game with much higher stakes. In Game 4 of last season’s NBA Finals, Towns picked up his second foul just 1:02 into the game. Mitchell Robinson came in for him, and Ariel Hukporti also got a brief run in the first quarter.
Towns, as wonderful a player as he is, really puts the team in a bind when he gets into early foul trouble. The next time it happens early in the first quarter, Brown should give Wiseman some run rather than keep Drummond on the floor for the entire time Towns needs to sit.
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