PORTLAND, Ore. — The Knicks closed out their victory with an All-Star on the bench.
Karl-Anthony Towns was subbed out with 9:24 remaining and watched the rest of Sunday’s 123-114 win over the Blazers from a seat, with coach Mike Brown explaining afterward that he was rolling with hot hands.
“We normally do [close with Towns]. On the minutes sheet, he’s there [to play down the stretch],” Brown said. “But we strung a lot of stops together. And we were getting out and going. And I will do this — if I think a group is rolling, I’ll keep a group out there. As long as it doesn’t impact a guy’s minutes drastically. And that group was rolling and I kept them out there because of it.”
The Knicks won those final 9 ½ minutes without Towns, 31-20. Brown either used Mitchell Robinson at center or went with a small lineup, with Miles McBride playing with the four other starters (Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges).
Towns finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes.
A day earlier, Brown reiterated that the onus is on him and the struggling center to make it work. Their partnership has been uneasy, with Towns consistently citing the challenges of adapting to the coach’s system.
“I’ve said this before: It’s not all on KAT to adjust to and adapt to what we have to do,” Brown said. “He’s had the hardest adjustment period because he’s had to learn the most. In the same breath, I have to make sure that I help him by simplifying what we do and making sure I’m putting him in the right spots and then he’s got to do the things necessary to help out, as well.”
Brown was giddy about the 49ers beating the Eagles in an NFC wild-card game Sunday. His son Cameron is a coach on San Francisco’s staff.
“First and foremost, Niners fans, congrats. Big win on the road in Philly,” Brown said in his postgame news conference. “My parents are from Philly, but my son’s with the Niners, so I’m red, red, red, red, through and through. So let’s go Niners. Let’s go, baby!”
A few prominent Knicks players probably don’t feel the same way. Brunson, Towns and McBride are all Eagles fans.
Tyler Kolek became the latest youngster squeezed from the rotation, logging zero minutes after the return of Hart, who missed the previous eight games because of a sprained ankle. It was Kolek’s first DNP since Nov. 19.
