Good morning! As the New York basketball team faces its recent two-game losing streak, fans are reminded that the season is long, filled with inevitable ups and downs. One fan, Drew G, raised an intriguing question about Karl-Anthony Towns’s performance when driving to the hoop, specifically when starting from the top of the key.
Towns’s style of play has drawn scrutiny, prompting a thorough review of his two-point attempts from the 2025 postseason. Despite the time investment of rewatching all 211 attempts—which proved to be a tedious task—the insights gathered reveal essential information about his performance metrics.
According to last season’s driving statistics, while Towns averaged 8.0 drives per game, his shooting percentage on these attempts was 52.7%. He also secured an average of 2.5 free throws per game through drives, and his passing frequency was relatively low, at 11.8%. These figures depict a player who, while not among the most frequent drivers—ranking 85th in the league—still managed to achieve a respectable shooting percentage.
For context, Towns’s driving numbers do not stand out when compared to Jalen Brunson, who ranks among the elite in the NBA. Brunson drove the ball more frequently, yielding a higher shooting percentage of 55.1% and significantly more assists.
In the playoffs, Towns drove the ball slightly less but maintained comparable statistics. An amusing observation is that during 126 playoff drives, he recorded just as many assists as a casual fan, highlighting a critical aspect of his game—predetermination in his driving strategy, which often requires a more dynamic approach to be truly effective.
The analysis indicates that while Towns’s driving game may not have been extraordinary last season, it exhibited potential for improvement. Continued focus on enhancing his adaptability and passing in driving situations could lead to more successful offensive outcomes for him and his team in the future. Fans can retain hope that with adjustments and perseverance, Towns can elevate his game, leading New York to better performances as the season progresses.