NBA Notes: Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns, Nets, Michael Porter Jr., Raptors

Knicks

Coach Mike Brown is tweaking the offense. Josh Hart would rather Karl-Anthony Towns worry about defense.

Brown said he has made adjustments to better support Towns on the offensive end, but Hart made it clear where his priorities lie, via Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News.

Hart acknowledged the transition from Tom Thibodeau to Brown has required some recalibration and said both coaches and players are still finding the right balance. But when it comes to Towns, Hart wants less talk about shots and more talk about stops.

“He’s a good offensive player and he’s going to figure that out,” Hart said. “He’s gotta make sure he focuses on defense. I don’t wanna hear too much about him shooting. I want to hear about him blocking shots.”

Translation? Scoring will come. Defensive buy-in is the bigger concern.

Nets

Michael Porter Jr. is dealing with defensive attention and a lingering knee issue, and he is not making excuses.

Porter said he has been playing through soreness from a minor MCL sprain suffered earlier this month and admitted it has affected his burst and separation, via Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

At the same time, he noted teams are loading up on him more aggressively, sending extra defenders his way.

“That’s really on me,” Porter said, pointing to the need for better shot setup and easier looks.

Coach Jordi Fernandez echoed that sentiment, saying the staff is working on ways to free Porter up and adjust to how defenses are playing him. Slip screens earlier. Work the second side. Stop chasing looks. Simplify.

Porter has been rested on the front end of back-to-backs recently, but the team has downplayed the severity of the injury. 

Raptors

Jakob Poeltl remains out, and there is still no clear return timeline.

Toronto announced Poeltl is sidelined indefinitely with a lower back strain after receiving additional treatment and visiting a specialist. He has now missed 17 straight games and more than half of the team’s schedule overall.

The Raptors have stayed competitive without him, but his on-court impact has been clear. Toronto has been slightly better with him in the lineup, and the lack of a true backup center has forced the team to get creative. Scottie Barnes, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Sandro Mamukelashvili have all filled minutes in the middle.

Toronto is winning. But it would still like its starting center back sooner rather than later.