If there’s one player the New York Knicks have found hidden postseason gold in, it’s Karl-Anthony Towns.
KAT hasn’t just adapted to the notoriously demanding New York media — a challenge in its own right — but has emerged as the pressure valve for a team that constantly teeters between poise and panic. When things start to get tense, Towns has been the one to loosen the screws.
He’s currently averaging 21.9 points and 11.3 rebounds on 49/38/90 shooting splits, the kind of efficiency rarely seen from a second option — though calling him a “backup” to Jalen Brunson doesn’t really tell the full story. In Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers, Towns was unexpectedly thrust into the lead role after Brunson ran into foul trouble yet again.
His response?
Twenty points in the fourth quarter.
Three triples.
One game-changing takeover.
All within a span of seven minutes, Towns didn’t just step up — he dominated. He slashed a double-digit deficit with confident outside shooting and assertive drives to the rim. The fire fans have long begged him to play with finally roared to life.
But here’s the thing: Game 3 shouldn’t have surprised anyone.
This is what Towns does.
After a rough outing in Game 2 against the Pistons, he stormed back in Game 3 with 31 points and four threes.
In the Celtics series, he dropped 23 points and 11 rebounds on 73.3% shooting just two nights after a forgettable performance.
Karl-Anthony Towns shows up when the Knicks need him most
When the Knicks need him most, he shows up. And not just in scoring. In fourth quarters this postseason, Towns leads all centers in rebounds (47), ranks third in points, second in blocks, and third in box score +/-.
Yet, he remains quiet. No stat-padding. No self-promotion. No postgame rants about being overlooked.
He takes a page from Brunson’s book: stay humble, keep working.
Suiting up in a Knicks uniform is enough for him — and every minute he’s on the floor, he proves why he belongs.
But like the late Kobe Bryant once said, “The job’s not finished.”
The Knicks may have erased another 20-point deficit in Game 3, but Game 4 is where the series hangs in the balance. Win, and they flip the pressure back onto Indiana. Lose, and the road back becomes much steeper.
All eyes might be on Brunson or OG Anunoby. But if any player wants to show they’re more than just part of the supporting cast — if someone wants to rise above even the Captain—they need to deliver when the lights burn hottest.
So, heading into Game 4 in Gainbridge Fieldhouse, only one question remains:
Can Karl-Anthony Towns keep being the difference-maker?