When Karl-Anthony Towns walked into Mike Brown's first training camp last September, he did not know exactly what his new head coach would ask of him. By the time the Knicks were trailing the Atlanta Hawks 2-1 in the first round of the playoffs, that question had answered itself.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Eastern Conference Finals, Towns reflected on the role-change that has helped lift New York back to within four wins of the NBA Finals — running the offence through him at the high post in the style Domantas Sabonis ran for Brown in Sacramento.
"I didn't really have — I had no expectations. I didn't know what to expect," Towns said. "I've always loved this role. I've always wanted this role, so I'm just happy we got to this point."
The pivot was not Brown's idea alone. Towns confirmed he had been part of the conversation after the Knicks went down 2-1 to Atlanta, telling reporters his coach had been willing to listen.
"You go in there, you say how you feel, your feelings, your idea, and see if it's received," Towns said. "And it was received. So I'm glad that we're not talking about a 2-1 — we're talking about us getting ready for the next opponent."
Brown, for his part, framed it as a collaborative call rather than a unilateral one. "I take suggestions from everybody, and at the end of the day, it's up to me to make the decision," the head coach told reporters. "The tough part about it is when you have suggestions and there are a lot of good ones out there, a suggestion is one thing, but trying to actually put the suggestion into something that can be real for the group and fit the group — that's the tricky part."
Whatever the precise origin, the result has been emphatic. The Knicks closed out Atlanta in six and then dispatched Philadelphia 4-1 without OG Anunoby, who has been sidelined since Game 2 with a hamstring strain. Through that stretch Towns has become the connective tissue of New York's halfcourt offence — high-post hubs, dribble handoffs, and the occasional middle pick-and-roll where Brunson now plays off ball.
Towns, who has been hit with the durability tag throughout a 10-year career that has included multiple major injuries, was asked Friday whether longevity in the NBA was ultimately a matter of good fortune. His answer was telling.
"I believe luck is not given, it's earned. I've earned my luck," he said. "I've put the work in outside of the basketball court — taking care of my body, my diet, my team that keeps me healthy and feeling good. I always believe luck is just something that God just happened to happen. It's given, but it's something you earn. I've earned the right to have luck in my situations where I should have been in a worse spot, because I put the work in."
Asked whether his expanded role amounted to a vindication after years of public criticism about his fit alongside another star, Towns chose his words carefully — but did not shy away from the question.
"I've always said it since the beginning — I'll do whatever it takes to impact winning, and I'm glad that I've been able to do that with this change of role and be able to help our team win."
He was equally clear-eyed about complacency. Asked how the team should approach Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals with the extra rest, Towns described a mindset frozen in the moment Atlanta went up 2-1.
"Every game it should be acting like we're down 2-1, no matter if we're up 3-0," he said. "Take the time to see our families, rejuvenate our minds, our soul, and get ready for the next challenge."
For Knicks fans, that line lands as cleanly as anything he has said in a New York jersey. A Towns who plays every night as though his team is one loss from elimination is the version that gets the Knicks to the Finals.
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*Originally published on [NBA News Global](https://nbanews.global/article/karl-anthony-towns-playmaker-role-knicks-ecf-may-2026). Visit for full coverage.*
