logo
Knicks can't afford an inconsistent Karl-Anthony Towns against Celtics

Knicks can't afford an inconsistent Karl-Anthony Towns against Celtics

New York Post03-05-2025

The Knicks were lucky to survive that performance from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Performance might be putting it lightly.
Advertisement
No-show is probably better.
Towns struggled through a nightmarish Game 6 against the Pistons, which the Knicks won 116-113 to clinch the series.
And he was at his worst in the fourth quarter when the Pistons went on a 20-2 run and looked set to force a Game 7.
He finished with just 10 points — matching his series low from Game 2 — on 4-for-10 shooting from the field.
Advertisement
He missed his only 3-pointer.
In the fourth quarter, he missed both shots he took, recorded two turnovers and three fouls.
He also went 1-for-2 from the line when he had a chance to tie the game with 1:19 left.
Advertisement
He fouled out with 49.1 seconds left.
Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks puts down a rebound during the third quarter.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
'It doesn't matter about stats, it doesn't matter about personal accolades, it's about finding a way to win and we did that,' Towns said. 'I know the city only cares about one thing, and that's W's, and we found a way to get that done.'
Thursday's showing was emblematic of Towns' up-and-down series.
Advertisement
CHECK OUT THE LATEST NBA STANDINGS AND KNICKS STATS
He had 23 points in the Knicks' Game 1 win, but then disappeared with 10 in their Game 2 loss — and did not take a shot in the fourth quarter.
Then he responded with 31 in a Game 3 win and was the hero in Game 4, drilling two clutch shots down the stretch.
But he finished the series with 17 and 10 points in the Knicks' Game 5 loss and Game 6 win, respectively.
Follow The Post's coverage of the Knicks in the 2025 NBA Playoffs
Sports+ subscribers: Sign up for Inside the Knicks to get daily newsletter coverage and join Expert Take for insider texts about the series.
The highs were very high and the lows were very low.
The Knicks will need better than that, and more consistency, to pull off an upset of the Celtics in the second round.
On the defensive end, the Celtics hunted Towns in pick-and-rolls during the regular season, in which the Knicks went 0-4 in the matchup.
Advertisement
Tobias Harris of the Detroit Pistons defends against Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks during the second quarter.
Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
He is likely to guard ex-Knick Kristaps Porzingis, who averaged 24.5 points on 50 percent shooting from the field and 45.5 percent shooting from 3-point range in the four games.
That was tied for Porzingis' second-highest scoring average against any team this year.
Put simply, Towns needs to win that matchup. Julius Randle, the main part of the Knicks' blockbuster trade with the Timberwolves that brought Towns to New York, had a stellar first-round series with Minnesota to help it upset the Lakers.
Advertisement
He averaged 22.6 points and 5.2 rebounds and was probably the second-most important player for the Timberwolves behind Anthony Edwards.
It's time for Towns to better that.
It's why the Knicks made the trade, after all.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

ESPN Predicts Indiana Fever to Beat Angel Reese's Chicago Sky Even Without Caitlin Clark
ESPN Predicts Indiana Fever to Beat Angel Reese's Chicago Sky Even Without Caitlin Clark

Yahoo

time34 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

ESPN Predicts Indiana Fever to Beat Angel Reese's Chicago Sky Even Without Caitlin Clark

ESPN Predicts Indiana Fever to Beat Angel Reese's Chicago Sky Even Without Caitlin Clark originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Indiana Fever have now lost three straight games, with their last two coming amid the absence of Caitlin Clark. Advertisement Clark is currently dealing with a left quadriceps strain and is expected to be out for a minimum of two weeks. It has been a week now since her injury was announced, and she's set to be re-evaluated on June 9. Indiana is set to face Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky on Saturday, so the team will still be without its best player by then. Despite that, and the fact that the Fever have yet to win a game without the WNBA All-Star, ESPN still favors Indiana to beat the Sky when they meet. According to the ESPN Matchup Predictor, the Fever have a 57.6 percent chance to win the game, while the Sky are at 42.4 percent. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) talks to a referee against the Atlanta Davis-Imagn Images For what it's worth, the ESPN computer also had the Fever taking down the Washington Mystics in their first game without Caitlin Clark. However, Indiana ended up losing the contest, 83-77. Advertisement That being said, the Fever can't be complacent against the Sky when they meet this week. Besides, Angel Reese and company have won two straight games (both against the Dallas Wings) and appear to be finding their rhythm. Not to mention that the Fever are dealing with other injuries to both Sydney Colson and Sophie Cunningham, making their guard lineup extremely thin. It should also be noted that the Sky will have plenty of rest in their meeting with the Fever, since it's their only game of the week. Meanwhile, Indiana plays on Tuesday against the Mystics before traveling to Chicago. Related: Angel Reese Sends Clear Message to Wings Coach Without Using Words Related: Caitlin Clark's Animated Behavior Following Pacers-Knicks This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 1, 2025, where it first appeared.

Brian Windhorst Gets Honest About Chris Finch's Knicks Links
Brian Windhorst Gets Honest About Chris Finch's Knicks Links

Yahoo

time42 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Brian Windhorst Gets Honest About Chris Finch's Knicks Links

Brian Windhorst Gets Honest About Chris Finch's Knicks Links originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Minnesota Timberwolves have enjoyed a strong run under Chris Finch as their head coach. Over the past two seasons, they were one of the final four teams left in the NBA Playoffs due to their two consecutive Western Conference Finals berths. Advertisement That would look good on any coach's resume, which would likely generate some interest around the league. The New York Knicks are one of those teams that may want to poach Finch because of their recent firing of Tom Thibodeau. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images It would be an exciting appointment for the Knicks because Finch has taken the Timberwolves to unprecedented heights. During the Kevin Garnett era in the 2000s, the Timberwolves made a lone Western Conference Finals appearance. Now, they have two in a row. They are building towards the future with a foundation of Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and Finch as the coach. However, some people believe the Knicks could snatch Finch away from Minnesota. ESPN insider Brian Windhorst believes if that does happen, Finch's relationship with people within the Knicks organization will be integral to the move. Advertisement Related: NBA Contender Eyeing Reunion With Timberwolves' Chris Finch Finch Has Connections With People Within The Knicks Organization The architect of Finch's initial Timberwolves hiring was Gersson Rosas. He was the Timberwolves' president of basketball operations during that time, but he has since moved on to the New York Knicks. "Do keep in mind that, Chris Finch was hired in Minnesota at the middle of the season by Gersson Rosas, who is one of Leon Rose's top lieutenants," Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective. Rosas is now the senior vice president of basketball operations, who works directly with Leon Rose. Finch's relationships with Rosas and former star player Karl-Anthony Towns are the primary reasons why people see this as a good job for him to take. Advertisement Unfortunately for the Knicks fans who hope Finch will join the team, he has long-term contract with Minnesota to uphold. The Timberwolves have one of the most promising projects, headlined by superstar Anthony Edwards. Finch Would Work Better If He Stays In Minnesota After two successful Western Conference Finals runs, Finch and the Timberwolves have some work to do. They know the team is close to reaching the NBA Finals as they must work on the team making big improvements. They already have a strong foundation with Edwards, McDaniels, and the rest of the roster. The Timberwolves need that extra edge, which will come from president of basketball operations Tim Connelly doing his job at making smart roster moves. Advertisement The Timberwolves have all the potential to win the Western Conference. It will be tough due to their competition like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, and the Los Angeles Lakers. With Finch at the helm, the Timberwolves have a great tactician in charge. He also needs to improve his rotations and schemes, but that can be analyzed during the offseason. The future is bright in Minnesota, and they should not worry about the Knicks poaching their coach. Related: Tim Connelly Announces He Wants To Retain Reid, Alexander-Walker, and Randle This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.

The Timberwolves Commit To Finch After Knicks Interest
The Timberwolves Commit To Finch After Knicks Interest

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

The Timberwolves Commit To Finch After Knicks Interest

The Timberwolves Commit To Finch After Knicks Interest originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Following numerous reports of the New York Knicks' interest in Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch, they followed the necessary steps to make a formal approach. Advertisement The Knicks are seeking a new coach after parting ways with former head coach Tom Thibodeau. That came after the Eastern Conference Finals when they lost to the Indiana Pacers in six games. Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images Minnesota wants to maintain most of what has worked over the past few seasons. They have a superstar in Anthony Edwards, who is still improving as he looks to reach the pinnacle of basketball. The other important figure is Finch, who has been a constant since 2021. He and Edwards form the foundation of this team, and everyone is focused on the Timberwolves. Related: Brian Windhorst Gets Honest About How Chris Finch Has Links With The Knicks The Timberwolves Are Standing With Finch As The Coach Despite the allure of coaching the New York Knicks, that won't be in the cards for Finch. The Timberwolves refused when the Knicks requested to speak to the coach, so that means the organization is fully behind Finch. Advertisement That is a good sign for the Timberwolves because they have a strong system that supports their head coach. Finch should be pleased with the news because he looks happy to be in Minnesota with a group of players who respects him. Finch is not the only head coach that the Knicks did this because they also looked into getting Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka. It is an admirable job for the Knicks, but they must work elsewhere. Jason Kidd is heavily rumored, but the Dallas Mavericks are expected to deny the Knicks if they send in a request to interviewing him for the position vacated by Thibodeau. The Commitment To Finch Is A Good Sign For Minnesota With a good future set for the Timberwolves with Finch at the helm, the team is in good hands. He has been excellent with how he has lifted the Timberwolves from being a laughingstock to being one of the top four teams left in the league. The Timberwolves are focused on success at the highest level, especially in the competitive Western Conference. If they maintain this development well, Minnesota could become even better than the Oklahoma City Thunder. Advertisement Finch being the head coach means the players will be comfortable and ready for the next few seasons with Finch at the helm. The future is bright, and it will be challenging to keep the Timberwolves away from knocking on the door of the NBA Finals with their constant success in recent years. Related: Ant Edwards Recalls How Finch Lit A Fire Under Timberwolves This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store