The New York Knicks are 27-18 and NBA Cup Champions so far in their 2025-26 campaign. That earned them seventh place in The Athletic's latest power rankings, behind two of the three Eastern Conference teams that are currently beating them in the standings. The rankings, compiled by NBA reporter Law Murray, also revealed a crazy statistic that summarizes the team's offensive issues thus far in 2026. The Knicks haven't won Karl-Anthony Towns' minutes in back-to-back games since Christmas.
Knicks need to help Towns find offensive rhythm
The statistic from Murray is shocking, despite the Knicks' struggles in that stretch. It's no secret that the start of January was far from kind to them, with the team winning just two of their games in a stretch of 11 and losing several games to typically inferior opponents. Players described the efforts as embarrassing and the need for something to change was widely acknowledged.
The bounceback, however, came in record-setting fashion as the team beat the crosstown Brooklyn Nets by a franchise record-setting 54 points. New York also won their next game, a battle on the road with another Atlantic Divison squad in the Philadelphia 76ers. The stakes were a bit higher in a 2024 first-round rematch than against a team that has openly shared their desire to tank this season, but the Knicks still came through.
Towns, however, played just 16 minutes in the game because of foul trouble. Just 96 seconds into the second half of the game, he was whistled for his fourth foul and promptly subbed out in favor of Mitchell Robinson. While Robinson's toughness and prowess as an offensive rebounder and rim protector helped New York win the game, the team knows they're at their best when Towns is rocking and rolling.
The team not having won KAT's minutes in back-to-back games in over a month isn't a defining stat that guarantees the center won't have success throughout the rest of this season. It is, however, an apt summary of the struggles that have defined this season for him thus far.
The 30-year-old big man is an elite play-finisher, known for his soft touch both around the basket and from up to 30 feet away from it. Through his first 42 appearances of the season, though, Towns has made just 57.1% of his shots from within five feet of the rim and 36.4% of his 3-point attempts.
Towns beginning to make those shots will help flip the script on the season he's having thus far. Knick fans seem to be low on the center right now, often referring to his defense as an area of concern. However, the center's been alright as a rim protector this season and has not had bigger issues than his offensive fouls, his touch around the basket, and his 3-point accuracy.
If Towns can even just get the fouls down, he'll be able to spend more time out there on the court getting in rhythm and increasing his percentages from the floor in the long-run as a result. Mike Brown seems open to continuing to find ways to help him do that, which is all fans can ask for right now.