The New York Knicks are gearing up for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers, and all eyes are on Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Knicks are 0-2 in the series and couldn’t afford an injury to their top-line players. However, there is good news for NY, as Towns is not listed on the injury list.
As for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, the team needs a more aggressive and dominant Karl-Anthony Towns to step up. It’s been tough for Towns since joining the Knicks as a five-time All-Star.
Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the funniest players we’ve ever seen with all due respect 🤣 pic.twitter.com/bQK0v765H3
— Mark Jackson’s Burner (@casualtakeking) May 12, 2025
And despite the high hopes for him to be the missing piece alongside Jalen Brunson, he hasn’t quite delivered in the clutch moments fans were looking forward to. In Game 2, watching from the bench for a crucial seven minutes in the fourth quarter was tough to swallow.
Now, more than ever, Towns needs to elevate his game if the Knicks want to turn things around against the Pacers.
Towns has the skills and the size to be a true game-changer. But lately, he’s been struggling to make his presence felt on both ends of the court. Sure, he scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds in Game 2, but the bigger issue is his overall impact on the game.
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Coach Thibodeau Explained Why He Benched Karl-Anthony Towns
Karl-Anthony Towns found himself on the bench for a surprising stretch during the fourth quarter of Game 2. This happened with the Knicks trailing by nine points and just under nine minutes left on the clock.
Head coach Tom Thibodeau decided to bring in backup center Mitchell Robinson instead of keeping Towns in the game. While Towns didn’t have his best night performance-wise, many wondered why his offensive skills were shunned at such a crucial moment.
Thibodeau later explained that his decision was largely based on concerns about Towns’ defense. He implied that the lineup that was on the court when the Knicks were fighting to get back in the game was the one he believed gave them the best chance to succeed.
“We just dug ourselves into a hole, and the group on the floor gave us a chance. It comes down to a couple of things. Going into the fourth quarter, it’s a tied game. We just have to make better plays, more winning plays,” Thibodeau said.
Tom Thibodeau explains why Karl-Anthony Towns didn't play much in the 4th quarter:
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) May 24, 2025
"The group that was in there gave us a chance, searching for a way to win" pic.twitter.com/nvCMKtT0TM
Thibodeau seemed to feel that focusing on defense. And securing rebounds with Robinson might have been a better strategy to dig the team out of their hole. When the game is on the line, every coach has to weigh these decisions carefully.
Also Read: NBA Fans Are Losing It As Karl-Anthony Towns Tries To Force The New York Accent
