Overview

• Karl-Anthony Towns said he dropped weight this summer to get ready for power forward minutes, according to Newsday’s Steve Popper.
• Through the first two preseason games, Mike Brown started Mitchell Robinson at center with Towns alongside him, with no commitment yet on making it permanent.
• The approach follows last postseason’s shift that elevated Robinson to the starting five and moved Towns from center to the four.
• Pairing Robinson’s interior defense with perimeter stoppers like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby is viewed as a way to address rim protection concerns.
• Towns averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds in his first Knicks season, underscoring the goal of preserving his offensive impact in a tweaked role.