The New York Knicks fired on all cylinders on Friday night against the Utah Jazz, winning 146-112 at home. Games against inferior opponents are opportunities for players and coaches to "get right," so long as the better team actually comes through and wins. Against Utah, the Knicks saw their offensive success continue and improved their record at home to 12-1. But amid the blowout, head coach Mike Brown noticed that Karl-Anthony Towns' defense is more impactful than fans may think.
Towns' size and feel can help him on both ends
Towns is immensely talented, something he proves often with deep 3-pointers and flashy passes out of the post. The big man has the ability to see the court well, both literally and within the context of an unfolding strategic chess-match between coaches. Brown told reporters after the win over the Jazz that Towns' combination of size, agility, and feel for the game make him an underrated defensive asset.
“KAT, he’s long. He moves his feet better than what people think. Also, he’s got a great feel, he’s a smart basketball player. When he uses his length the right way, which he’s been doing as of late, just wall up and make them shoot over the top of you. If they make it, just move on to the next play. But when he does that, it helps our paint defense a ton," Brown remarked.
While Towns has his miscues and blown coverages on the defensive end of the court, he has also shown that he can be a contributor in big moments. In the team's 2025 playoff series against the Boston Celtics, both Jalen Brunson and Towns became significant parts of the team's defensive approach. Having both of them switch much more often than opponents were used to throughout the regular season helped take away Boston's ability to create open 3-point shots.
While New York has a new coaching staff, the team has a roster quite similar to that of last year's. Brown was brought in to deploy similar talent differently, but having Towns switch against teams that flood defenses with ball-handling shooters.
Health will be true key to Knicks' defense
As the Knicks have learned early on this season, staying healthy comes before anything else. The team has seen several key players miss time already, with defensive stalwarts Deuce McBride, OG Anunoby, and Mitchell Robinson having varying availability.
Having everyone ready for a playoff run has to be the ultimate goal. Players like McBride don't just carry the inherent value they bring on the court, they help put other key players like Mikal Bridges in the best positions to succeed. It's up to Brown to put all the pieces together in the postseason. He seems to think the Knicks are better equipped than some others might.