Karl-Anthony Towns had Big game against Draymond Green. Photo courtesy NY Knicks.
In a grudge match that felt like a blood match — an intense defensive game — the Knicks without Jalen Brunson would not let the Warriors shake them off, but fell in the final minute, 97-94, on a Saturday night in San Francisco. A nationally televised game on ABC.
The Knicks were behind most of the evening, with Golden State threatening to take a double-digit lead at times, including a 9-pt lead early in the 4th quarter, but NY came back each time and tied the game 88-88 with 2:52 left.
But Moses Moody hit a drive for a Warrior lead, and the Knicks couldn’t get enough shots to go down in the ensuing minutes. When Draymond Green broke through for a bucket with 25 seconds left it put GS up 94-88 — and Green put his arm under his head making the ‘put them to sleep’ sign. A final taunt in the grudge match that had been going on all game between him and Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks.
Grudge Between Green & KAT
There was a grudge coming in as Draymond Green had said on his podcast 2 weeks ago that Karl-Anthony Towns was ducking Jimmy Butler when KAT missed the game between Golden State and the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. It was later revealed KAT missed the game because someone close in his family had died. Learning this, Green didn’t apologize, instead essentially saying ‘we all die at some point’ while plugging his podcast.
Golden State acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline from Miami and have gone 12-1 since then. Butler and KAT famously feuded as teammates under coach Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota — with Butler calling the young KAT soft.
But if KAT was ‘soft’ then — he’s not anymore, and he wasn’t in this game — as he dominated. At one point in the 4th quarter he scored 11 straight Knick points, and finished the game with 29 pts on 12-21 shooting (3-5 from 3) with 12 rebounds, 3 assists, and a block.
Green Taunts KAT in Game
Earlier in the game — in the 2nd quarter — Green drew a foul from KAT on a play off the ball — and Green motioned to KAT to go to the bench as it was his 3rd foul, then mouthed the word “Soft”. OG Anunoby took it to Green on the next play, driving right at him to pick up a foul and send Green to the bench. And the game continued like that — a defensive in-your-face grudge match.
When asked afterwards if he wanted to set the tone, KAT said “Hell yeah. You want to help your team win. So wanted to bring that energy to the team, especially early in the game. Just was trying to do that to impact winning.”
NY falls to 42-24, still with the 4th best record in the NBA. GS improves to 39-28.
1. Grudge Match — KAT Takes It to GS from the Start
Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t say a word publicly about Draymond Green’s insults — instead he came out in this game and let his play do the talking. He started the game with a driving DUNK and the show was on.
off to a hot start ⚡️@karltowns pic.twitter.com/YLfFbK3hsB
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 16, 2025
KAT followed with consecutive jumpers to score the first 6 Knick points. OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Miles McBride joined him in scoring and NY had an early 23-18 lead.
Towns hit a deuce and a 3 later in the period for 11 points in the quarter.
11 PTS for @karltowns 😤 pic.twitter.com/lsExXNzuWE
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 16, 2025
But Moses Moody hit a 3, Draymond Green hit a 3, Jonathan Kuminga got buckets, Buddy Hield hit a 3, Stephen Curry joined the action, and Jimmy Butler hit a 3 at the buzzer to give GS a 32-31 lead after 1.
2. Green Gets KAT to Pick up 3rd Foul in the 2nd
Golden State’s bench had grabbed a 39-33 lead early in the 2nd after a deuce by Gary Payton II and a 3 by Quinten Post, when KAT tangled briefly with Green off ball — Green bumping into KAT to purposely draw the foul. It was KAT’s 3rd foul and Green motioned for him to go sit down, then mouthing the word “Soft”.
Green was causing havoc on the court in general, but on a play a minute later, OG Anunoby quietly stepped up and took it right back at Green — stealing the ball off a Green pass, then taking it to the basket straight at Green’s chest, drawing the foul. It was now Green’s turn to sit.
OG’s free throws pulled NY to within 2, and an OG bucket on the next play tied the game at 39-39 with 7:06 left in the 2nd quarter.
3. McBride Settles Knicks Down. GS by 4 at the Half
Golden State went on a run just before the half — Steph Curry hit a pullup, Draymond Green stole the ball from Bridges leading to a Moses Moody dunk, and then after Bridges came back with a deuce, Jimmy Butler dunked off a Payton assist — causing a Knick timeout. And then out of the timeout, Moody stole the ball off Bridges and fed Payton for a 51-45 GS lead and 1:15 left.
But Miles McBride settled the Knicks down with a sure dribble, penetration, and 14-foot pullup, then next time down hit a 3 to make it a 51-50 game.
deuce with the putback 🫡 pic.twitter.com/17JeANlqDC
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 16, 2025
Curry hit a 3 with 3 seconds left to give GS a 4-pt lead at the half.
4. Bridges & OG Snipers for Knicks
KAT was back in the game to start the 3rd quarter — and immediately hit a 3. A Bridges deuce followed and NY took back the lead.
But Steph Curry started to heat up and hit 3’s and Golden State forged back the lead.
Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby were snipers for NY all evening — Bridges finished with 19 pts on 8-14 shooting (1-3 from 3) with 6 rebounds, and OG had 23 pts on 7-15 shooting (2-3 from 3, 7-9 in free throws) with 9 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block.
give and gooooo 😤 pic.twitter.com/MiGr6T1sZy
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 16, 2025
5. McBride with Big Game; Tough D vs Curry
Deuce McBride also came up huge all night for NY — with 19 pts on 8-17 shooting (3-6 from 3) with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and a block — the block was of a Steph Curry shot at the start of the 3rd quarter. McBride played a hounding defense on Steph Curry — noted by the ABC national analysts. Curry still scored 28 pts, but on 8-20 shooting (4-13 from 3). McBride finished the night with a +3 to Curry’s -5.
Golden State forged out to an 8-pt lead in the 3rd at 73-65, but McBride hit two Huge buckets — an offensive rebound and tip in, then a deuce next time down to pull NY back within 4.
deuce with the putback 🫡 pic.twitter.com/17JeANlqDC
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 16, 2025
Mitchell Robinson blocked a Jonathan Kuminga jumper inside, then scored off an alley oop pass — missing the initial attempt but grabbing his own rebound and putting it in — to bring NY to within 3 at the end of the 3rd. GS 75 NY 72.
6. Block Fest; Hart & Payne Go 0-11
The defense was intense throughout, especially inside. There were 6 blocked shots in the 3rd quarter between the two teams (by McBride on Curry, Hart on Butler, KAT on Kuminga, Payton on Hart, Quinten Post on OG, and Robinson on Kuminga), and 2 more blocks in the 4th quarter (Green on OG, and Curry on McBride).
Josh Hart had a poor shooting game — going 0-7, including a couple of drives that rolled out — not normal for him. In the 3rd he had one of his drives inside blocked by Payton. Cam Payne also couldn’t get one to go down — he was 0-4 (all from 3). Had either of them hit a couple NY would have won.
At one point in the 4th quarter, Thibs and Hart could be seen arguing on the sidelines.
Thibs & Josh Hart go at it during time out
“Thibs loves Josh Hart”
– Mike Breen
“That is 100 percent normal”
– Richard Jefferson pic.twitter.com/XUBiKTCIS3
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) March 16, 2025
Afterwards, Thibs said “I love Josh, you guys know that. Just whatever can get us going, just try to get us going… sometimes it may not go as well as you would like but you gotta keep going.”
“I love Josh, you guys know that. Just whatever can get us going, just try to get us going… sometimes it may not go as well as you would like but you gotta keep going.”
Tom Thibodeau on his heated exchange with Josh Hart during Knicks-Warriors.pic.twitter.com/5LNYyrHLRp
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 16, 2025
7. KAT Dominates in 4th; Knicks Tie It at 88-88
Golden State again tried to pull away — jumping out to a 9-pt lead early in the 4th on a bucket by Quinten Post and then a deuce and a 3 by Moses Moody who was an absolute pain in the ass on the evening. A lot of it was due to the play of Jimmy Butler — who was drawing the defense and setting Warriors up with passes.
NY was down 84-75 with 7:12 left when Karl-Anthony Towns took over.
KAT made a drive, made 2 free throws off a drive, then drove — appeared to be fouled but it wasn’t called — grabbed his own offensive rebound and put it back in for 6-straight points and NY was down 84-81.
😤😤😤@karltowns pic.twitter.com/6eE2L2Ysvi
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 16, 2025
KAT then hit another drive after a Kuminga bucket, and then KAT hit a 3 after a Curry score — and NY was down 88-86 with 4:39 left.
KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS FOR THREEEEE pic.twitter.com/v4B6hnyFwD
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) March 16, 2025
When Mikal Bridges hit a deuce with 2:39 left it was 88-88 tie game.
8. GS Eeks Out Win at End
Moses Moody — pain in the ass all night — snuck in for a drive to give GS a 2-pt lead and then came a frenetic finish, with both teams playing blood-match defense.
Bridges missed a deuce,
Hart got the offensive rebound but KAT missed a 3,
Curry missed a drive hounded by McBride,
Draymond Green got the offensive rebound but shot an air ball,
Curry blocked McBride’s drive, but then missed a 3 down the other end,
OG grabbed the rebound — in a 90-88 game with 1:13 left, fed KAT ahead of the field but Gary Payton II knocked the ball from KAT — no foul called — Green grabbed the ball and KAT fouled him.
And that was really the game.
Green made both free throws to give GS a 92-88 lead with a minute left.
Payton stole McBride’s inbound pass — McBride was forced to float the pass in against a hounding GS defense — and 20 seconds later Green drove for a bucket and made the “go to sleep” sign.
The Boxscore
https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401705540