Karl-Anthony Towns among 3 questions the Knicks need to address before the Finals push

The New York Knicks enter the period after the All-Star break in effect. They have won eight of their last 10 games. And they seem to have struck a strong balance, demonstrating above-average defense in the recent past, which includes holding the Philadelphia 76ers to 66 points in a recent win. However, many experts believe The Knicks are a few steps away from real competition for the championship. And while that piece may have been added just before the All-Star break, there are a few glaring issues that need to be ironed out before New York is ready to make its move.

Karl-Anthony Towns has been playing well lately. He’s been a rebounding machine, averaging 14.2 rebounds per game over his last nine games. And that had a positive effect on the Knicks and their results.

However, he didn’t score the ball nearly as well as he is capable of. Towns is averaging 16.3 points per game over that same time period, shooting just 27.3% on about four 3-point attempts per game. That’s awfully bad considering what we expect from him. But unfortunately, it is not far from his result in the 2025-26 season. Towns is posting the second-lowest points per game of his career this season (19.8), as well as the second-worst 3-point percentage (35.1%).

That won’t affect it if the Knicks hope to win an NBA championship in 2026. Head coach Mike Brown needs to do more to get Towns involved, likely by relying on off-the-dribble action, increasing pick-and-rolls with Jalen Brunson, and featuring him in isolation in the post.

But it’s not entirely up to Brown to make it happen. Towns also has his work cut out for him. He has to learn to accept missed calls and stop arguing with the refs, get back on defense and look for better shooting opportunities.

Cities can also claim the ball. While Brown and Brunson are partly responsible for Towns’ inclusion, Towns has to make a strong case to receive the ball. This means he seals his man behind him in the post and claims the ball. It also means not settling for runners and poor or contested shots. But at the end of the day, Towns is too talented to continue like this much longer. It should return to the middle.

The Knicks have work to do other than getting Towns back to his pre-2025-26 performance. New York also has to work on acclimating its recent additions, Jose Alvarado and Jeremy Sochan, to their rotation. Alvarado, who was added via trade before the trade deadline, has appeared in three games for New York so far – and his impact has already been felt.

Alvarado adds an obvious intensity and grit. He is a high-energy perimeter defender who disrupts opposing offenses and sets a tight-knit culture. His presence is even more important given the injury to Myles McBride, who will be sidelined until the end of March with a sports hernia. Everything Alvarado can provide on the offensive end of the floor is the icing on the cake.

Jeremy Socan’s role is less clear. The six-foot-eight forward is a versatile defender, adding considerable toughness. He is expected to add valuable frontcourt depth, likely taking some minutes away from Mohamed Diawara, at least initially.

Socan’s ability to guard multiple positions should intrigue Brown. He will obviously be a backup, but exactly how he fits into the team’s rotation must be explored. Socan had three strong seasons with the San Antonio Spurs before calling it quits. His role has become less clear this season, but hopefully he can still do what he did before this season, being a disruptive force who can create with the ball in his hands and move well without it.

The Knicks have a playoff rotation to decide

Both of the points mentioned above speak to the team’s need to strengthen its rotation. New York effectively added their depth. And his ultimate star power is significant. Now it’s about understanding who plays and who doesn’t.

Brown said he prefers to play a “9.5-man rotation” before the season starts. Well, that makes for some tough decisions.

In addition to their starting five, the Knicks must consider playing time for Alvarado, Sochan, McBride, Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson — not to mention Diawara. A team can access its reserves in three separate groups: guards, forwards and Robinson.

Robinson’s place is well cemented. When healthy, he is absolutely essential to the game. And the only limitations here include being careful not to rely on it too much.

There’s probably only room for three guards — Alvarado, McBride, Shamet and Clarkson — and that’s being generous. But it’s impossible to imagine Alvarado, McBride and Shamet no playing regularly. Unfortunately, Clarkson is probably the odd man out of this group. However, his presence is still valuable as he adds the bulk of the offense off the bench. Hopefully he stays engaged without a regular role – that’s a tall order for anyone.

That leaves the attackers. Shamet’s size could allow Brown to play him as a power forward as well. But ideally, Sochan can replicate a lot of what OG Anunoby and Josh Hart are doing. If that doesn’t work out as planned, the big question is does the team turn to Diawara for playoff minutes? And can he handle it if they do?

Fortunately, the Knicks have 27 games left to fix these issues. The team should be motivated to improve on last season’s results and advance to the NBA Finals — and preferably win it. And this might be their best chance to do so.