DETROIT — Over three months into the season, Karl-Anthony Towns is still often struggling and still adjusting to Mike Brown’s system.
The All-Star center produced just six points in Monday’s 121-90 loss to the Pistons, already the fourth time he failed to score in double digits this campaign. Last season in a much larger sample size, Towns only once scored fewer than 10 points.
“Different system,” Towns said. “It’s just different.”
It’s “different” and not good for Towns’ numbers. He’s taking fewer shots and converting at a much lower percentage than last season under Tom Thibodeau.
“Biggest adjustment is for me. Like Mike said, I make the biggest sacrifice,” Towns said. “We’re figuring it out. We’ve got a long flight, a practice tomorrow, we’ve got to sit down and figure out who we are and how we want to get back on track.”
Following Monday’s dud, Towns is averaging 21.5 points on 47 percent shooting overall and 35.6 percent from beyond the arc. Last season, he averaged 24.4 points on 52.6 percent shooting overall and 42 percent from beyond the arc.
Still, Towns didn’t have the worst game among Knicks starters Monday. That title went to OG Anunoby, who is losing hope for his first All-Star appearance. Anunoby scored just five points and the Knicks were outscored by 31 in his 29 minutes.
Pistons fans have found an enemy in Jalen Brunson, forged in last season’s playoffs. Brunson was booed every time he touched the ball Monday, and showered intermittently with chants of, “F–k you, Brunson,” and, “You’re a flopper.”
The Knicks point guard was also hounded by Detroit’s top perimeter defender, Ausar Thompson, who took to the assignment with enthusiasm. Thompson picked up Brunson full-court. He darted around screens. He stripped Brunson twice in the second quarter.
“With me and the turnovers I had, the turnovers we had as a team, not a lot is going to happen offensively that’s going to be in our favor,” said Brunson, who committed six of the 20 Knicks turnovers. “So we’ve got to do a better job of not turning the ball over.”
Leon Rose, the camera-shy team president, isn’t leaving the team any time soon, according to James Dolan.
“As far as I know, Leon is with us long term,” Dolan said Monday in a WFAN interview with host Craig Carton. “We don’t talk about the end to this. We have a five-year plan. Right now we’re more like on a two- to three-year plan.”
Rose, the former agent, signed as team president just before the pandemic in 2020. The team has been successful under his watch, qualifying for the playoffs in four of his five full seasons — including the franchise’s first run to the conference finals since 2000.
Rose’s contract status is unknown, but it was believed he originally signed a five-year deal.
