Obviously, it takes top-level talent to reach and find success in the NBA Finals. The New York Knicks are proving it takes effort and a relentless desire to win at all costs as well. New York played with grit, intensity, and determination in Game 1, and it resulted in a come-from-behind win.
The Knicks beat the Spurs by a score of 105-95, largely because Karl-Anthony Towns was able to limit Victor Wembanyama. The French big man still put up 26 points and 12 rebounds, but he wasn't nearly as dominant as he was in the Western Conference Finals. For example, late in the fourth quarter, Towns' defensive effort led to Wembanyama hitting the side of the backboard and the top of the backboard with two shots in the same possession.
That was far from Towns' only highlight of the night. He regularly played with physicality on defense and made life hard on Wembanyama. Even offensively, Towns didn't back down, attacking the basket and going straight at his number one overall pick peer despite Wembanyama's shot blocking prowess.
Karl-Anthony Towns' success was a bad look for Chet Holmgren
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Towns' Game 1 success rubbed salt in the preshisting wounds of Chet Holmgren. The Thunder big entered the Western Conference Finals viewed as a worthy rival to Wembanyama, but he was embarrassed all series long by the Frenchman. Holmgren had just 75 total points on 27.3% shooting from deep through seven games against the Spurs.
He refused to be aggressive on offense, he let Wembanyama dominate the glass, and his defense against the Spurs was lackluster. The ‘soft' label was even thrown around because of Holmgren's shortcomings. The Gonzaga product has since been involved in trade rumors, and although a deal out of town might be unlikely, Towns' effort against Wembanyama did the Holmgren dialogue no favors.
Heading into the NBA Finals, Wembanyama was quickly being crowned the face of the NBA and the best player in the league. Towns helped remind everyone that Wembanyama is just human, though. Towns deserves more praise than he has gotten in his own right recently, too. The Kentucky product has been one of the best centers in the NBA since he was drafted first overall in 2015. He is arguably the best 3-point shooting big man in NBA history, and had it not been for the Knicks trading for him, they almost certainly wouldn't be playing in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.
Big men have long ruled supreme in New York. Patrick Ewing led the team for the better part of two decades, even leading the Knicks to their last NBA Finals appearance. Before that, Willis Reed manned the middle when the Knicks last won the championship. It is looking like Towns could be the one who brings the Larry O'Brien back to New York.
Obviously, it takes top-level talent to reach and find success in the NBA Finals. The New York Knicks are proving it takes effort and a relentless desire to win at all costs as well. New York played with grit, intensity, and determination in Game 1, and it resulted in a come-from-behind win.