NBA Notes: Nets, Noah Clowney, Bulls, Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns

Nets

Noah Clowney is starting to look like Brooklyn’s breakout guy.

The third-year forward has now started 11 straight games, and Monday was his loudest yet — a career-high 31 points against the Knicks, including 7-of-13 from deep. The Nets lost by 13, but they were actually plus-one with Clowney on the floor.

Brooklyn has spent most of the year talking about its five first-rounders, but as Brian Lewis of the New York Post pointed out, no young Net has taken a bigger leap early on than Clowney.

He’s playing with purpose, attacking closeouts, and carrying himself like someone who knows he belongs.

“Trying to be aggressive helps my teammates,” Clowney said.

He’s still just 21 and averaging 16.5 points while shooting nearly 37 percent from three since entering the starting lineup.

He’ll be extension-eligible in 2026, and at this rate, that conversation may get expensive.

Bulls

Coach Billy Donovan watched his team give up 263 points in two games and didn’t mince words afterward.

Outside of Isaac Okoro, the Bulls don’t have a true defensive stopper right now, and Donovan told reporters the issue isn’t about one player. It’s the whole group, coaches included, per Joel Lorenzi of The Athletic.

Chicago has been carved up by Washington and New Orleans, and Donovan wants a collective reset — rotations, effort, physicality, all of it.

The Bulls can score. Stopping anyone has been the real adventure.

Knicks

Karl-Anthony Towns badly needed a night like Monday, and he delivered one.

The Knicks forward erupted for 37 points on 14-of-20 shooting against Brooklyn — easily his most efficient outing of the season and, as Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News wrote, maybe a much-needed turning point.

Towns came into the night shooting just 43 percent from the floor and 31 percent from three.

One game doesn’t fix everything, but it’s the first time in a while he looked like the version opposing defenses actually fear.