Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns gets marching orders from Mike Brown after Game 2 loss

On Monday night, the New York Knicks blew an opportunity to take a 2-0 series lead in their first-round matchup against the Atlanta Hawks, as they let a 12-point lead heading into the fourth quarter slip away en route to suffering a 107-106 defeat. While there were plenty of issues for the Knicks to look back on and attempt to rectify come Game 3, Karl-Anthony Towns’ quiet performance in the fourth quarter of their Game 2 loss was once again very conspicuous.

Towns did assert himself in the third quarter, scoring 14 of his 18 points on the night during that period. But when the Hawks were making their comeback in the fourth, the Knicks’ star center put on a disappearing act — failing to score a single point while shooting the ball just twice.

While the Knicks did resort to the Jalen Brunson one-man show to try and carry them through in the end, head coach Mike Brown urged Towns to be more aggressive moving forward without having to rely on his explicit instruction to do so.

“KAT’s a great player; he’s just gotta impose his will on game. If he was a young guy, maybe I would need to say something to him. But as a veteran guy who’s been an All-Star as many times as he is, I don’t need to tell him every game, ‘Hey, go be aggressive. He knows we need him to do that,” Brown said in his postgame presser, via @NBA_NewYork on X (formerly Twitter).

KAT 14 in 3rd –– 4 rest of game

Brown "KAT great player; he's just gotta impose his will on game…All-Star many times, I don't need to tell him every game "be aggressive"––he knows…"

Hart "We gotta make sure he's involved…put him in action…We'll look at film & be be better" pic.twitter.com/L2eWDOUOdD

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 21, 2026

There have certainly been plenty of moments this season where Towns has been more than content to be a passenger in the Brunson one-man ride. But the Knicks have a distinct size advantage over the Hawks, and Towns, who was being guarded by the likes of Jonathan Kuminga and Onyeka Okongwu, should have a favorable matchup.

Only time will tell if this awakens Towns from his slumber.

The post Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns gets marching orders from Mike Brown after Game 2 loss appeared first on ClutchPoints.