Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks have already made their mark but the big man has his eyes on the bigger prize.
The Knicks delivered a Game 6 beatdown to send the Boston Celtics home and punch their ticket to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000. New York hasn't won an NBA title in over 50 years, with their last championship coming in 1973. Towns knows just how close they are.
"8 more," Towns wrote in a social media post on Saturday.
Towns averaged 19.8 points and 12.7 rebounds in the series against the Celtics. But he went into a major funk with his 3-point shooting, hitting just 15.8% of his shots from beyond the arc. He shot 42.0% from deep during the regular season.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns
© Brad Penner-Imagn Images
"Bring the grit KAT. How you played last night, that's how you do it!" one fan said in response to Towns' message.
"What an outstanding performance from start to finish. You brought it to the Celtics, the MSG crowd, NY and the country," another fan added. "That fierce competitor was unleashed. Next up, those annoying Haliburton and Siakam and company."
Towns credited his teammates for putting him in the right position to shine against the Celtics in the
“We talked about the importance of this game,” said Towns after Game 6, where he posted 21 points. “My teammates trusted me in positions to score, and I’m glad I was able to repay their trust with some buckets. So it’s really a testament to my teammates keeping me involved and allowing me to be aggressive.”
Towns and the Knicks will face the Indiana Pacers with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line. New York opened as a -140 favorite to advance. It’s a high-stakes rematch after the Pacers knocked the Knicks out in a contentious seven-game series in last year’s Eastern Conference semifinals.