The New York Knicks and their fans are entering the 2026 playoffs with high hopes. However, four-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal is sounding the alarm on the Knicks’ postseason ceiling, expressing concern with one aspect of a Knicks player that could dent the team’s ambitions.
Shaquille O’Neal Gives Blunt Prediction for the Knicks’ Playoff Run
The Knicks (53-28) are entering the postseason relying heavily on Karl-Anthony Towns to anchor their frontcourt and also provide production alongside Jalen Brunson. And with the playoffs a week away, O’Neal delivered an unfiltered assessment of the Eastern Conference picture during the recent episode of “The Big Podcast with Shaq.”
Speaking alongside 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah, the Hall of Famer zeroed in on Towns’ unpredictable performance as one factor that could make or break the Knicks’ playoff run.
“You know what scares me about the Knicks? I don’t know which KAT I’m going to get. Am I going to get a tiger or am I going to get a pussycat? I mean, No, seriously. Like, you know, sometimes he plays phenomenal, then other times he’s nowhere to be found,” O’Neal said.
O’Neal’s criticism was based on KAT’s reliability, rather than raw talent. “That can’t happen in the playoffs. If he plays like I know he can play. Yeah, I’m gonna go with the Knicks, but he hasn’t shown me that in the past couple years or so.”
For New York, a large part of their playoff playbook also relies on Towns delivering All-Star offensive numbers on a nightly basis. If the six-time All-Star fails to assert himself in the half-court, the team will lack the scoring volume required to survive the heavyweights in a seven-game series.
Brunson has carried the primary offensive load for New York this season, averaging 26.0 points and 6.8 assists on 46.7% shooting.
Earlier in February this year, Towns addressed the heavy expectations of winning the championship and said, “I think as a team, it’s a blessing to have expectations and have high standards. That means we’re doing something right… My whole career has been based on me getting that ring and winning.”
“And I understand more than ever now in my career that winning trumps everything. That’s why I’m so adamant about our team staying together, having that continuity, having that unity, nothing deterring us or dividing us,” he added.
Towns, despite the fluctuations O’Neal highlighted, has managed to put up modest numbers, averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds while shooting 50.1% from the floor.
However, it is worth noting that this is his lowest scoring output since his 2015-16 rookie campaign, when Towns averaged 18.3 points and 2.0 assists. And it is no surprise that an inconsistent Towns severely limits the Knicks’ offensive ceiling and practically begs for an early exit.
