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INDIANAPOLIS — Mike Brown was comfortable with the look Karl-Anthony Towns got on the New York Knicks’ final possession Friday night. He was far less pleased with how they defended and rebounded in the 106-104 loss to the Indiana Pacers. Towns missed a 16-foot turnaround with 0.9 seconds left.
Mike Brown Stands By Karl-Anthony Towns’ Shot For New York Knicks
New York trailed 106-98 with 1:49 left and did not allow another point. Indiana committed an eight-second violation and a kicked-ball violation in that stretch and missed two free throws. Mikal Bridges’ pull-up off a Jalen Brunson pass made it a two-point game with 10.2 seconds remaining, and after an Indiana timeout, OG Anunoby stole Pascal Siakam’s inbounds pass with 2.8 seconds left.
Brown was asked why he went to Towns on the final possession rather than Brunson. He said the Knicks had run the rip-screen action in practice and believed it would give them an advantage.
“Probably a shot that he makes nine out of 10 times. And, you know, so I’m okay with it,” Brown said.
According to the New York Post, Towns described what he was reading on the play.
“It’s either OG is open on the rip screen and he has an open layup or I get to take the shot,” Towns said.
Towns finished with 23 points, 15 rebounds and 5 assists on 9-of-19 shooting. Brunson had 33 points and 11 assists.
Indiana Pacers Create Extra Chances On Offensive Glass
Indiana grabbed 17 offensive rebounds to New York’s 8 and attempted 25 free throws to the Knicks’ 13. Turnovers were even at 17. Brown combined the rebounding and free-throw gaps and said the Knicks lost the possession game by 21.
Ivica Zubac had nine offensive rebounds in 26 minutes, and Siakam attempted 12 free throws, one fewer than the entire Knicks team. Brown said Indiana kept getting into the paint, and he cited poor communication, defenders not shifting and the Knicks’ defense at the point of attack.
Brown received a technical foul with 1:05 left in the first half, and Indiana attempted 20 free throws before halftime to New York’s 5. Asked about his frustration, Brown acknowledged that the Knicks were fouling and that Indiana was playing harder. He also said the Knicks were not getting the same calls when they drew contact at the rim.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said New York’s 8 offensive rebounds and 7 second-chance points were season lows. He measured those numbers against what the Knicks usually do on the glass.
“New York, their offensive rebounding percentage is one of the highest in the league, if not the highest,” Carlisle said.
The Knicks fell to 6-6 and 0-2 in East Group B of the NBA Cup. No team has advanced from group play with fewer than three wins.
New York hosts Cleveland and Miami in its remaining NBA Cup group games. The Knicks visit the Toronto Raptors on Sunday at 5 p.m. CT.
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