Karl Anthony Towns faced some challenges on defense, but that wasn’t the primary reason the Knicks invested in his trade.
Offensively, he definitely made an impact.
In their 121-113 Game 4 win against the Celtics on Monday night at Madison Square Garden, the Knicks had to rely on his contributions.
Even though he struggled from long range—missing all three of his three-point attempts—he managed to put up 23 points with a perfect shooting record from the field, going 11 for 11.
“I thought we executed really well,” Towns mentioned. “[The Celtics] came out with a lot of energy, running at a high pace right at the start. We held strong and maintained discipline. This team trusts one another, and we know what we have to do to win.”
He also led the team with 11 rebounds, helping the Knicks secure an important victory in the paint.
With three offensive rebounds, the Knicks racked up 15 points from second chances, compared to the Celtics’ nine.
“We did a solid job with that,” Towns added. “The Celtics are defending champions and have numerous talented players. It’s crucial to limit them to just one shot per possession.”
Despite that, Towns struggled defensively. The Celtics targeted him on many possessions, which often led him to switch onto Jason Tatum during screens.
Tatum had a standout performance, scoring 42 points on 16 of 28 shooting, including 7 of 16 from beyond the arc, before suffering a concerning injury late in the fourth quarter.
“I won’t sugarcoat it; Tatum was making some incredible shots,” Towns admitted. “There’s not much I could do but shout at him.”
