Jalen Brunson may rightfully hold the title of Captain Clutch, but until further notice, the New York Knicks might want to consider prioritizing Karl-Anthony Towns as their crunch-time weapon here in 2026-27.
It's somewhat of an understatement to say Brunson has been off during these early stages of New York's title defense tour. Through six games played, the reigning Finals MVP is shooting at career-worst clips of 39.5 percent from the floor and 32.5 percent from deep.
These inefficiencies have unfortunately had a negative impact on his clutch scoring abilities as well, as he's made just five of his 13 attempts (38.5 percent) in the club's 17 minutes of clutch time action this season, which ranks as the third-most in the league.
Towns, meanwhile, has been playing a lights-out brand of basketball down the stretch in these close contests, as he finds himself shooting 57.1 percent from the floor and 60.0 percent from deep.
Yet, for some reason, the Knicks continue to lean on Brunson as their savior down the stretch, and they've paid the price with a mere 2-4 start.
Now, granted, these struggles from the three-time All-Star are easy to understand. After all, he underwent surgery on his left shooting wrist this past offseason and spent several months in a cast and away from basketball activities. Clearly, there's still a bit of rust buildup that needs to be shaken off.
However, until he finds a way to tap back into his pre-operation shooting efficiency, it may be wise for coach Mike Brown to ride the hot hand when the team needs a bucket most.
Up to this point, that's clearly been Towns.
Karl-Anthony Towns making Knicks regret not locking him down
This offseason, the Knicks opted not to lock Karl-Anthony Towns into a new multi-year extension despite having just put forth the best year of his career and playing a major role in the club winning its first championship since 1973.
Now, the All-Star seems to be on a mission to make them regret this decision.
To start off this year's campaign, Towns has unequivocally been New York's most impactful and productive player, as he's posting electrifying averages of 21.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 57.5 percent shooting from the field and 41.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
On top of the counting stats, KAT's new slender frame has passed the eye test with flying colors, as he looks more mobile on both ends of the ball, has appeared quicker with his first step, and is looking even more effective as a defensive talent, with him registering the second-best defensive rating of his career at 107 per 100 possessions.
Granted, this is all from a super small sample size. After all, we're still less than a full month into the regular season.
That said, early signs seem promising, as Towns appears to be on a mission to prove he's worth every penny he asked the Knicks for this past summer.
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