New York Knicks Have Two Scapegoats After Loss to Indiana Pacers
New York Knicks Have Two Scapegoats After Loss to Indiana Pacers originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Before the 2024-25 NBA season, the New York Knicks pulled off two of the biggest trades of the offseason, adding Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets and Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
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With their new star-studded roster, the Knicks felt that they could compete for an NBA championship, although they ultimately would lose to the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs for the second season in a row.
While Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, Mitchell Robinson, and Mikal Bridges were solid in the Eastern Conference Finals, two scapegoats emerged for the Knicks.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0), New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11), center Karl-Anthony Towns (32), and forward Josh Hart (3)© Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart Did Not Live Up to Expectations
During the Knicks' playoff run last season, Josh Hart was one of the best players on the roster, grabbing rebounds, hitting timely shots, and playing stellar defense.
With the addition of Towns, the Knicks bolstered their star power and were expected to compete, although they ran into a similar situation as last season.
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When New York needed Towns and Hart the most, they were non-factors.
Towns averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds in the regular season while shooting 42 percent from deep, landing him on his third All-NBA team. Hart averaged 13.6 points and 9.6 boards.
In the decisive series, Towns averaged 24.8 points on much worse efficiency and played poor defense down the stretch. Hart posted only 8.3 points and had his starting spot taken from him after Game 2 for Mitchell Robinson, who could emerge as the Knicks' starting center next season.
After the early playoff exit, there have been calls for New York to trade Towns, and the argument makes sense. If Brunson, Anunoby, and Bridges can shoulder a large scoring load, perhaps an elite defender is better than a streaky shooter who is known for disappearing in the postseason.
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Check out the All Knicks home page for more news, analysis, and must-read articles.
Related: Fans React to Timothee Chalamet Announcement During Knicks-Pacers Game 6
Related: Tom Thibodeau Gets Candid About Knicks' Offseason After Playoff Exit
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.
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Tavares registered five goals and nine points into an empty net, both career highs. His on-ice shooting percentage was 15 percent, the top mark of his career and the fourth-highest of any player in the league (min. 800 mins). How productive will he be if he's not playing with Nylander on the second line? Coupled with what could be a lesser role, including on a power play that's destined to change, a step back in production next season seems likely. And what about the season after that? What exactly is Tavares' value in that case? He's going to draw less, a lot less, than the $11 million cap hit of his last deal. But by how much? What even is a 'discount' for Tavares moving into this stage of his career where role and production figure to change? The Leafs need to be gazing forward, not backward, when pondering Tavares' worth on a new deal — or whether to bring him back at all. While the Leafs seem likely to keep Tavares, I lean (about 70-30) in the direction of trying something new. Toward the organization pursuing someone younger, faster and/or more dynamic. Someone with more upside and a different personality and skill set. Someone who is simply different. After all this time, different is warranted, especially given some of the other issues. There may be a deal that's too attractive for the Leafs to turn down. In that case, it's up to the team to adjust its expectations and deployment of its former captain.
