Karl-Anthony Towns ‘disappointed’ by rough free-throw shooting

Karl-Anthony Towns managed his highest scoring output of the season Wednesday night, but he remained on the court long after the Knicks’ last-second loss to the Bulls working on his game. 

Towns pumped in a season-high 46 points, but he missed two key free throws in the fourth quarter in a game the Knicks overcame a 22-point hole in the second half before falling 124-123 to the Bulls. 

Towns was seen on the Garden floor, shooting around 35-40 free throws long after the final buzzer sounded. 

“Not a lot, but I was disappointed in that display of free-throw shooting by me,” Towns said after the game. “I expect to make them all. When you look back at the game, especially when you don’t come out with a win in a tough game like this, you look at everything that you could have done in the mirror. 

“If I make a few of those free throws, at least two or three of them, you put your team in a different position.” 

Towns, an 83.9 percent free-throw shooter for his career, missed four of eight in the game, including a pair with 5:56 left in the fourth quarter and the Knicks trailing by one. 

In what could have been an ominous possibility for the Knicks in the backcourt, all three of their banged up guards were able to suit up against the Bulls. 

Jalen Brunson (ankle), Miles McBride (knee) and Cam Payne (hamstring) all had been listed as questionable on the injury report. 

Brunson scored 24 points in 34 minutes, and Payne provided a boost off the bench with a season-high tying 11 including 3-for-3 from 3-point land. 

Tom Thibodeau said forward Precious Achiuwa (hamstring) still has not been cleared for practice before he missed his 11th straight game to open the season.

Point guard Lonzo Ball remained out for the Bulls with a sprained right wrist. He has appeared in three games this season after missing the previous two years with injuries.