Karl-Anthony Towns, the center for the Knicks, made an appearance at the 2026 ESPY Awards at Lincoln Center on Wednesday evening, taking a subtle jab at one of the teams that his squad faced in the playoffs as New York aimed for the Team of the Year award.
In a conversation with ESPN’s Kevin Negundy and Kristin Williamson before the show, he remarked, “We’ll have all the analysis and stats we need.” It’s interesting how confidence can really shape discussions, don’t you think?
“Analytically, we should win this game,” he reiterated, effectively echoing a notorious comment made by Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson during the Eastern Conference Finals. Atkinson had claimed his team was “analytically” superior to the Knicks.
Atkinson had given a somewhat spirited assessment after Game 3, saying they had experienced success against New York before, especially noting their performance in Game 1 with a solid 20-point score. “Even in Game 2, if we could have made a strong run at the start of the third quarter, it would have been a different story,” he remarked.
The Knicks managed an impressive comeback in Game 1, overcoming a 22-point deficit to secure a historic victory, leading to a sweep of Cleveland.
Despite stumbling into the NBA Finals ranked last for the first time in 27 years, they triumphed over the Spurs in five games to complete an extraordinary postseason run.
After struggling early on, losing 2-1 to the Hawks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Knicks went on an impressive 13-game winning streak, pulling off an unexpected surge with a roller coaster of a journey in between.
“The city hasn’t felt this excitement in 53 years. We haven’t been this close to the finals in 27 years,” Towns said. It’s a reminder of how long it’s been since the Knicks had a shot at greatness. He emphasized that they weren’t favored in any of the series they played, which makes their success even more remarkable.
“When you think about our playoff edge… we lost by just six points in those games. There was a stretch of 49 days during the playoffs without a loss. Honestly, I believe we’re the best team,” he concluded.
New York was up against a strong lineup for the Best Team ESPY, also including the Aces (WNBA), Dodgers (MLB), Indiana Hoosiers (NCAA Football), Hurricanes (NHL), Texas Longhorns (NCAA Softball), Seahawks (NFL), and both the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams.
It was a night of recognitions for the Knicks, as Jalen Brunson received the NBA Player of the Year and Best Championship Performance ESPY awards. Additionally, OG Anunoby bagged the award for Best Play.
Karl-Anthony Towns makes a pointed comment about his NBA playoff opponent during the ESPYs.
Karl-Anthony Towns, the center for the Knicks, made an appearance at the 2026 ESPY Awards at Lincoln Center on Wednesday evening, taking a subtle jab at one of the teams that his squad faced in the playoffs as New York aimed for the Team of the Year award.
In a conversation with ESPN’s Kevin Negundy and Kristin Williamson before the show, he remarked, “We’ll have all the analysis and stats we need.” It’s interesting how confidence can really shape discussions, don’t you think?
“Analytically, we should win this game,” he reiterated, effectively echoing a notorious comment made by Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson during the Eastern Conference Finals. Atkinson had claimed his team was “analytically” superior to the Knicks.
Atkinson had given a somewhat spirited assessment after Game 3, saying they had experienced success against New York before, especially noting their performance in Game 1 with a solid 20-point score. “Even in Game 2, if we could have made a strong run at the start of the third quarter, it would have been a different story,” he remarked.
The Knicks managed an impressive comeback in Game 1, overcoming a 22-point deficit to secure a historic victory, leading to a sweep of Cleveland.
Despite stumbling into the NBA Finals ranked last for the first time in 27 years, they triumphed over the Spurs in five games to complete an extraordinary postseason run.
After struggling early on, losing 2-1 to the Hawks in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the Knicks went on an impressive 13-game winning streak, pulling off an unexpected surge with a roller coaster of a journey in between.
“The city hasn’t felt this excitement in 53 years. We haven’t been this close to the finals in 27 years,” Towns said. It’s a reminder of how long it’s been since the Knicks had a shot at greatness. He emphasized that they weren’t favored in any of the series they played, which makes their success even more remarkable.
“When you think about our playoff edge… we lost by just six points in those games. There was a stretch of 49 days during the playoffs without a loss. Honestly, I believe we’re the best team,” he concluded.
New York was up against a strong lineup for the Best Team ESPY, also including the Aces (WNBA), Dodgers (MLB), Indiana Hoosiers (NCAA Football), Hurricanes (NHL), Texas Longhorns (NCAA Softball), Seahawks (NFL), and both the U.S. men’s and women’s hockey teams.
It was a night of recognitions for the Knicks, as Jalen Brunson received the NBA Player of the Year and Best Championship Performance ESPY awards. Additionally, OG Anunoby bagged the award for Best Play.
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