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Karl-Anthony Towns Active For Game 5

May 29th, 2025 at 6:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

May 29: Towns will start on Thursday after previously being referred to as a game-time decision by head coach Tom Thibodeau, tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.

May 28: The Knicks need a win Thursday night to extend their season, but they aren’t assured of having star big man Karl-Anthony Towns available. Towns has been listed as questionable on the official injury report for Game 5 with a left knee contusion.

Towns fell to the court in pain while grabbing his left knee after a collision with Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith with 2:11 left to play in Game 4 (YouTube link). He was able to stay in the game, but Peter Botte of The New York Post notes that he seemed to be favoring the same knee earlier in the night.

“I’m only thinking about this loss, I’m not thinking about that right now,” Towns told reporters when asked about his chances to play on Thursday. “It’s disappointing when you don’t get a win. Just didn’t do enough to get the job done tonight.”

Coach Tom Thibodeau was optimistic about Towns’ condition, saying “it’s a good sign” that he was able to continue playing. Thibodeau added that “we’ll see where he is after he gets evaluated” by the team’s medical staff.

Towns was the hero of Game 3 with a 20-point fourth quarter that sparked New York to its only victory so far in the series. He posted 24 points and 12 rebounds in 37 minutes in Game 4, but only attempted two three-pointers. He was pulled from the game four minutes into the first quarter after picking up two early fouls.

If Towns is unavailable on Thursday, Josh Hart will presumably return to the starting lineup. He started all 77 games he played during the regular season, but Thibodeau moved him to the bench in Games 3 and 4 while using a double-big approach with Mitchell Robinson alongside Towns.

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Knicks Notes: Deficit, Defense, Lineup Change, Towns, Brunson, Bridges, Hart

May 28th, 2025 at 8:35am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks erased a 20-point deficit in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals. They couldn’t complete a comeback against the Pacers in Game 4 on Tuesday, leaving them on the brink of elimination.

“In true fashion to our whole playoff run, we put ourselves in a deficit, got ourselves out of the deficit, and then usually we feel good about us going into a close game in the fourth quarter and showing our resilience. But you get burned if you put yourself in that position too many times,” Karl-Anthony Towns said, per ESPN’s Jamal Collier. “We think coming into the fourth quarter that we’re going to find that one trick again. We just didn’t have that magic tonight.”

The Knicks’ defense faltered, as Indiana shot 51.1% from the floor and committed just 11 turnovers, six fewer than New York. Pacers stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam combined for 62 points.

“They played with more intensity,” center Mitchell Robinson told Zach Braziller of the New York Post. “We should’ve matched it.”

We have more on the Knicks:

  • The lineup change that coach Tom Thibodeau made in Game 3 — Robinson replacing Josh Hart — flopped in Game 4, Jared Schwartz of the New York Post notes. The Knicks trailed 16-11 before Towns subbed out with 7:48 left in the first quarter after picking up his second foul. When the unit was back together to start the third quarter, the club gave up seven unanswered points to fall behind by 12. “There’s obviously some good, but also things we have to do a lot better,” Thibodeau said. “I don’t think we had a good grouping. … We start the third without great energy, and you can’t do that.”
  • Towns was able to stay in the game after colliding with Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith with 2:11 remaining. However, the left knee pain he suffered is some cause for concern heading into Game 5 on Thursday. “I’m only thinking about this loss, I’m not thinking about that right now,” Towns said, per Peter Botte of the New York Post. “It’s disappointing when you don’t get a win. Just didn’t do enough to get the job done tonight.”
  • Jalen Brunson scored 31 points but a vast majority came prior to the fourth quarter. The Knicks were outscored by 14 points when he was in the game, Braziller notes. “I’m not doing enough,” Brunson said. “I could sit here and be very detail-oriented about certain things, but obviously not good enough. There has to be a difference on my part when it comes to that.”
  • Mikal Bridges‘ shortcomings were apparent in Game 4. He couldn’t stop Haliburton as the Pacers guard posted a triple-double without a turnover. The veteran forward was also passive on the offensive end, repeatedly passing up driving opportunities. “I didn’t play my best game,” Bridges told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. “On both ends, let my team down a little bit.”
  • Hart also had a rough night as he committed five turnovers, Schwartz points out. “It’s tough to win against a team like that who turns those turnovers into points,” Hart said. “I had like four or five. Just stupid turnovers that you can’t have. That leads to easy baskets, that leads to momentum. We gotta be more careful with the ball, starting with myself.”
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Knicks Notes: Towns, Robinson, Hartenstein, Wright, Anunoby

May 27th, 2025 at 4:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Karl-Anthony Towns rescued the Knicks from the abyss with 20 fourth-quarter points against the Pacers. What will the Knicks get from their top big man the remainder of the Eastern Conference Finals?

The Athletic’s Fred Katz explores that subject as the teams head into Game 4 this evening. He speculates that the Pacers, who have mainly used Myles Turner as the primary defender on Towns, might try a smaller defender in that matchup. Katz notes that the Pistons and Celtics used perimeter players to get under Towns’ skin and force him to take some ill-advised shots.

We have more on the Knicks:

  • Mitchell Robinson was inserted into the starting lineup in Game 3. Despite his free throw issues, Robinson has been a major factor in the postseason after missing a good chunk of the regular season while recovering from ankle surgery. “He’s been very, very impactful for them since he’s been back,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, per Chris Herring of ESPN. “He gives them a lot of versatility, and his ability to switch onto smaller players is special for a guy his size. He’s a major factor, and a guy we’ve been talking about a lot.”
  • Isaiah Hartenstein believes his departure in free agency to the Thunder last season actually benefited the Knicks and Timberwolves as well. “It’s funny when you see all three teams, I think for everyone it was a win-win,” Hartenstein told SNY’s Ian Begley. Hartenstein’s departure and Robinson’s injury convinced the Knicks to roll the dice and trade for Towns. Julius Randle has been inconsistent in the conference finals but excelled during the first two rounds of the playoffs for Minnesota.
  • Coach Tom Thibodeau made a bold substitution in Game 3, deploying little-used guard Delon Wright for his first rotation minutes of the postseason. Though he only had one basket and one assist, Wright played a pivotal defensive role as the Knicks whittled a 13-point deficit down to three before being subbed out. “Just a true professional,” forward Mikal Bridges said, per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. “Works hard every single day and got his name called and he’s ready for the moment.”
  • Normally reticent, OG Anunoby displayed his passion and even did a little trash talking in Game 3. They’ll need more fire from Anunoby the remainder of the series, Schwartz opines in a separate story.
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Knicks Notes: Towns, Brunson, Wright, Shamet, McBride

May 26th, 2025 at 10:41am CST by Arthur Hill

Karl-Anthony Towns‘ best playoff performance since joining the Knicks came when his team needed it the most, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). New York was trailing by 10 points entering the fourth quarter on Sunday and staring at a potential 3-0 series deficit. With Jalen Brunson having an off night and being kept on the bench due to foul trouble, the Knicks needed Towns to take over the offense.

He delivered in a huge way, scoring 20 of his 24 points during the first eight minutes of the quarter. He was 6-of-9 from the field during that stretch and 3-of-4 from beyond the arc. He also collected eight rebounds as New York gradually overtook Indiana to claim a 106-100 victory.

“Just teammates put me in great spots to succeed and I wanted to just capitalize on the opportunity,” Towns said. “And just all of us we were just doing what it takes to win and putting ourselves in position to get back in the game and put ourselves in position at the end of the game where we could find ourselves with a chance to win. Finding a way.”

It was an encouraging response after Towns was limited to 28 minutes in Game 2 while being kept on the sidelines for most of crunch time. The Pacers have been targeting him on defense throughout the series, but on Sunday Towns found a way to fight back.

“He can score on all three different levels,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s comfortable at the three-point line. He’s comfortable putting it on the floor. He’s comfortable playing back to the basket. So, as long as he stays aggressive, it’s a huge plus for us. And then the double-team comes and then he can playmake off that.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

  • Brunson came out of the game after picking up his fifth foul with 7:03 remaining because Thibodeau wanted to make sure he was available to close out the victory, per Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. After sitting for more than five and a half minutes, Brunson returned to hit a floater in the lane with 1:17 left that gave the Knicks the lead for good. “Did you expect anything less from JB? He got that (Clutch Player of the Year) award for a reason,” Towns said. “We knew when we got in that fourth quarter, we gotta get back in the game and we felt very confident.”
  • Thibodeau normally sticks with set rotations, especially in the playoffs, but he made a couple out-of-character moves that sparked the Knicks’ victory, Schwartz observes in a separate story. Thibodeau changed his starting lineup, replacing Josh Hart with Mitchell Robinson, then gave early minutes to Delon Wright and Landry Shamet, who both saw their first significant action of the postseason. “High-character guys,” Thibodeau said. “Both guys have done a good job. We picked up Delon late. Landry’s been terrific all year. … He’s played really well, he’s great for the team, he’s always ready. The same can be said for Delon. They’re really, really good pros. When I say that, I mean they do the right thing every day. That goes a long way. It’s not just lip service, it’s doing the actual work, which I think is important.”
  • Miles McBride barely played in the first half after picking up three quick fouls, but he made an impact when he returned in the third quarter, notes Peter Botte of The New York Post. McBride scored seven straight points late in the quarter to reduce the Pacers’ lead to nine. “It’s not easy to do, particularly when you go to the bench after a minute and then you’ve gotta still stay in the game mentally,” Thibodeau said. “I thought his intensity was huge for us. He’s a catalyst, his defense, his hustle, and I think it gives people energy when you see him flying around like that.”
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Knicks Make Lineup Change; Robinson In, Hart Out

May 25th, 2025 at 6:38pm CST by Rory Maher

6:38pm: It’s official. Robinson will start and Hart will come off the bench tonight, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post tweets.

11:57am: The Knicks are “leaning toward” inserting center Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup for Sunday’s Game 3 in Indiana, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Robinson would replace wing Josh Hart in the starting five.

ESPN’s Shams Charania confirms the Knicks are giving “serious consideration” to the idea of benching Hart in favor of Robinson ahead of the pivotal game (story via Chris Herring of ESPN.com). New York lost both games at home to open the Eastern Conference Finals and finds itself in a 0-2 hole ahead of Sunday’s contest.

As Herring observes, the Knicks have gone with their usual starting group of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns for the entire season and playoffs when they’ve all been healthy, so this could mark the team’s first major lineup change of 2024/25.

Despite playing the most minutes of any five-man group this postseason and advancing past Detroit and Boston, the starters have struggled during their time together on the court and have had much more success when Robinson and/or Miles McBride are mixed in.

Replacing Hart with Robinson would slide Towns, who has struggled defensively against the Pacers, from center to power forward, Begley writes. Reserve big man Precious Achiuwa is a candidate to receive more playing time if Robinson moves into the starting lineup for Game 3, Begley adds. An impending free agent who appeared in 57 regular season games (20.5 minutes per contest), Achiuwa has barely seen any action in the playoffs, averaging just 4.8 MPG while appearing in five of the team’s 14 postseason games.

When asked about the potential lineup change, Hart said he believes he’s a starter and had a great year, but he also has no issue if head coach Tom Thibodeau decides to bring him off the bench (Twitter video link via Knicks Videos).

“I can’t sit here and preach about sacrifice and getting out of our own personal agendas and all that and then, a decision like that is made, then be mad at it and not want to sacrifice and not want to do that,” Hart said. “That’s not the kind of person that I am.”

Hart added that the Knicks need to improve in multiple areas to claw their way back into the series, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.

“Yeah, I think we need something drastic in terms of our energy and effort, our competitiveness,” Hart said.

After averaging 13.2 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.8 BPG in helping New York reach the ECF (12 games; 37.1 MPG), Hart has averaged 7.0 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG and 0.5 BPG through two games against Indiana (36.5 MPG). The Knicks have been outscored by 14 points during his time on the court in the series, whereas Robinson is plus-six in 50 minutes.

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Knicks Notes: Potential Lineup Change, Robinson, McBride, Road Record, Bridges

May 24th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Facing a desperate situation after losing the first two games at home, the Knicks may consider lineup changes when the Eastern Conference Finals resume Sunday night, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required). Karl-Anthony Towns played just 28 minutes in Game 2 as the Pacers exposed his defensive deficiencies and backup center Mitchell Robinson delivered a strong performance. Bondy notes that Towns is too valuable to stay on the bench, so coach Tom Thibodeau will have to find a better option.

Bondy proposes two potential alterations to the starting lineup, one of which would replace Josh Hart with Robinson. That provides a twin towers approach just like Minnesota used when it made the conference finals last season with Towns alongside Rudy Gobert. New York would have its best rim protector and pick-and-roll defender on the court at the start of the game, and it provides a better opportunity to take Robinson out late in quarters before Indiana can start fouling him on purpose.

Bondy’s other suggestion is to replace Hart with Miles McBride, who has the team’s best net rating in the series at plus-20.6. Although it would create a small backcourt, McBride is an accomplished defender who can provide help when the Pacers attack Jalen Brunson.

There’s more on the Knicks:

  • The team is taking solace in its strong road record as the series shifts to Indiana, according to Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. New York is 5-1 on the road in the playoffs, with three wins at Detroit and two at Boston, and was 24-17 during the regular season away from Madison Square Garden. “The whole year we played well on the road,” Hart said after Game 2. “We’ve played well on the road in the playoffs. That’s a tough place to play. Their crowd comes and shows love and support. But we’re a good road team. That always gives us confidence.” 
  • Knicks players understand that the 0-2 deficit gives them a chance to do something historic, adds Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Only five NBA teams have ever advanced after losing the first two games of a series at home, and no one has done it in the conference finals.
  • Mikal Bridges believes better communication might solve the problems the starting five has been experiencing, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “I think we just have to talk to each other off the jump,” he said. “I think maybe we just play a little too soft in the beginning.”
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Knicks Notes: Starters, Towns, Robinson, Hart

May 24th, 2025 at 10:01am CST by Earnest Marshall

The Knicks fell into an 0-2 deficit at home against the Pacers and now face an uphill battle to make the NBA Finals. In the view of James L. Edwards III of The Athletic, the main reason for New York’s struggles is the fact the starting lineup is a minus-29 through two games and isn’t meshing well overall.

This isn’t a new issue, as the starters were outscored by 21 points in their first two playoff series combined and were a net negative between Jan. 1 and the end of the regular season. The individual talent level of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns is significant, but it isn’t working on the court, Edwards writes.

“Obviously, we can finger-point and say this is wrong, that’s wrong,” Brunson said. “It’s this person’s fault, that person’s fault. But collectively, we have to get it together. That’s really it.”

Given the time crunch the Knicks are facing, making a starting lineup change sooner rather than later could be in the club’s best interest. New York has played its best when three or four starters are playing alongside one or both of Miles McBride or Mitchell Robinson.

We have more from the Knicks:

  • The Knicks ended up sitting Towns for a near-seven-minute stretch in the fourth quarter, with Robinson taking his place during that time. Robinson finished the game as a +6 in 29 minutes while Towns was a -20 in 28 minutes. “Just, we got in a hole, and then the group that was in there gave us a chance,” coach Tom Thibodeau said about the decision to sit Towns for that stretch, per The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. “So we were just riding [that lineup]. We’re searching for a win.“
  • Hart lobbied for Robinson to play more in Game 3 and beyond, per the New York Post’s Zach Braziller. “We have to figure out ways — I think he played [29] minutes — figure out ways if he can play more,” Hart said. “We’re great with him on [the floor]. We all got to be willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the team.” Robinson has totaled 17 rebounds and four blocks in the first two games of the series.
  • Hart and Anunoby were among the Knicks’ worst performers in Game 2, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post opines in a subscriber-only story. Bondy said neither player had a particularly strong impact offensively or defensively, outside of a couple three-pointers from Anunoby. Hart spoke about his outing after the game. “Yeah, it was tough to find ways to [be me], ways to help the team,” he said, per the New York Post’s Peter Botte. “Obviously, that quick foul trouble kind of puts you in a position to not being as aggressive. So that was a tough one. Just one of those games. Shots will be there some games, some they won’t.”
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2024/25 All-NBA Teams Announced

May 23rd, 2025 at 6:09pm CST by Eli Cohen

The 2024/25 All-NBA teams have been officially announced by the league (Twitter link).

A total of 100 media members voted on the All-NBA teams, with First Team votes counting for five points, Second Team votes counting for three points, and Third Team votes counting for one point.

This year’s All-NBA teams are as follows:

First Team

Second Team

Third Team

The top four vote-getters, Antetounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Tatum, were all unanimous selections to the First Team. James led the Second Team with 17 First Team votes, compared to Mitchell’s 61. Cunningham was the only member of the Third Team to receive First Team votes (six) — he also earned 10 more Second Team votes than the next closest vote-getter, as Towns had 40.

This announcement marks the first All-NBA selections for Cunningham, Mobley, and Williams, and – on the other side of the coin – the 21st consecutive selection for James. No other player in NBA history has been named to more than 15 All-NBA teams.

Curry set a franchise record with his 11th All-NBA selection. Edwards became just the fourth Timberwolves player to be named to multiple All-NBA teams, joining Kevin Garnett, Kevin Love, and Towns.

Other players who received votes, along with their respective point totals, were the Rockets‘ Alperen Sengun (58), the Grizzlies‘ Jaren Jackson Jr. (55), the Clippers‘ Ivica Zubac (15), the Cavaliers‘ Darius Garland (6), the Kings‘ Domantas Sabonis (4), the Pacers‘ Pascal Siakam (4), the Heat‘s Bam Adebayo (3), the Hawks‘ Trae Young (3), and the Suns‘ Devin Booker (2).

The Cavs, Knicks, and Thunder were the only teams to feature multiple All-NBA players. Both the Thunder and Knicks are currently playing in the conference finals for a shot at advancing to the NBA finals.

This is the second year that All-NBA teams have been positionless and have required players to meet a 65-game minimum to qualify for consideration.

Several players, starting with Cunningham, gained or lost eligibility for salary increases due to the All-NBA results. We have more details here.

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Knicks Notes: Starting Five, Communication, Brunson, More

May 23rd, 2025 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

After suffering one of the worst late-game collapses in NBA playoff history on Wednesday, the Knicks weren’t willing to simply flush that game without taking a closer look at how they let that Pacers comeback happen, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Head coach Tom Thibodeau and multiple Knicks players spoke on Thursday about the need to learn from Wednesday’s mistakes.

“It was just (those) last five minutes, learning from it, just owning up to it and knowing what we have to do better,” Mikal Bridges said. “Obviously, we want that game back. But it’s a seven-game series, so come out, be better, but hopefully finish the next game.”

As devastating as the Game 1 loss was, Bridges described the team’s vibes on Thursday as “good” and said the energy level was “pretty high.” Thibodeau, meanwhile, expressed confidence in his club’s ability to not let the momentum the Pacers gained with their dramatic overtime win carry over to Game 2.

“I think that’s the playoffs, that’s the challenge,” Thibodeau said. “You always have to reset. There’s gonna be a lot of emotional highs and lows and you’ve gotta be able to take a punch and you’ve gotta be able to bounce back. So that’s all we’re thinking about is how we move forward, be ready for the next challenge, and then what did you learn from it?”

Here’s more on the Knicks, who will be looking to even up the Eastern Conference Finals at one game apiece on Friday:

  • In a separate story for the New York Post, Braziller takes a closer look at the unflattering postseason data on the Knicks’ starting lineup. The five-man group – made up of Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, and Karl-Anthony Towns – was outscored by 16 points on Wednesday and has a -8.0 net rating in 292 playoff minutes. Asked on Thursday about a possible lineup tweak, Tom Thibodeau said “everything is always on the table” but didn’t sound like a man preparing to make a change, per Braziller. “You also need players that are effective with the bench unit and then what starters are you gonna play with the bench unit,” Thibodeau said. “So I think it’s twofold.”
  • The Knicks, who have spoken multiple times in the postseason about the way in which communication breakdowns have caused problems for them, echoed that message after Game 1, notes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. “I think we let off a little bit, and then we stopped talking to each other. Just a little miscommunication,” Bridges said on Thursday. “They got some threes and obviously (Aaron) Nesmith made a lot of shots. But we made it easy — didn’t make it harder. He stayed hot and we miscommunicated and he made a couple more, some rhythm ones.” Asked on Thursday about an animated late-game argument between Anunoby and Towns about a miscommunication, Brunson downplayed the moment, describing it as “just guys talking.”
  • Brunson averaged about two fouls per game during the regular season but has seen that average jump to 3.5 per game in the postseason. He fouled out of Game 5 vs. Boston and picked up his fifth foul early in the fourth quarter on Wednesday vs. Indiana, Schwartz writes for The Post. “It’s just me being smart and understanding, offensively and defensively, what I have to do better,” Brunson said of addressing that issue. “It is what it is, you just gotta be smart.”
  • Not playing at the level they’re capable of for a full 48 minutes has been a recurring problem for the Knicks throughout the regular season and playoffs for the Knicks, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who writes that the club will once again have to prove that it’s made for this moment.
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Knicks Notes: Game 1, Brunson, Towns, Anunoby, Lineup

May 22nd, 2025 at 7:22pm CST by Rory Maher

New York fans were stunned to silence following the Knicks‘ late-game collapse in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. It was a historic loss: the Knicks were up 14 points with 2:51 remaining, and NBA playoff teams were 977-0 in those situations since 1997. They also led by nine with a minute left — no postseason team had lost a game in that position since 1998 (1,414-0). Now there’s a one on both of those tallies.

“We didn’t do what we needed to do; otherwise, we’d be in here talking about a whole different ballgame,” center Karl-Anthony Towns said after Wednesday’s game. “There’s a lot of things we did good, to put ourselves in the position to win. It’s just about … and I’ve said this multiple times, executing and discipline for 48 minutes.

“We played 46 good minutes. Those last two minutes is where we lost the game. That’s on all of us.”

As Chris Herring of ESPN.com writes, the Pacers and Knicks had both completed multiple double-digit playoff comebacks on their way to the conference final matchup. But Game 1 — which New York lost in overtime after a series of miscues — had the Knicks in the unenviable position of blowing the lead.

“Defensively, we let off the gas. The intensity and physicality weren’t there,” wing Josh Hart said. “Offensively, we were playing slower, and more stagnant. It looked like we were playing not to lose.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

  • While Clutch Player of the Year Jalen Brunson finished with a game-high 43 points, he also committed seven turnovers, including three late in the game, notes Ian Begley of SNY.tv. “Obviously, it’s not a good feeling, but there is a lot of basketball left to be played,” Brunson said, per Edwards. “We can’t sulk. We just got to get better.”
  • ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne takes a look at what New York’s collapse means for the series — and for the team’s title chances. Brunson said he thought the momentum of Game 1 shifted with 4:45 remaining in the fourth quarter when he stumbled trying to get around a screen, leaving Aaron Nesmith open for a three-pointer. Nesmith went 6-of-6 on triples in the final 4:45 of regulation, including three in the final minute. “Once he hits one, you’ve got to be on high alert,” Brunson said. “I’ve got to do a better job of finding him. I think he had like one or two with me in the vicinity.”
  • Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscriber link) hands out grades for Game 1, with Brunson receiving a B-plus and Towns, who finished with 35 points and 12 rebounds but missed a key free throw late in regulation, getting a B-minus. Mikal Bridges, who had 16 points on 16 shots and was a game-worst minus-15 in the three-point loss while being the primary defender on Tyrese Haliburton (31 points, 11 assists), got a D from Bondy.
  • Towns and OG Anunoby appeared to get in a heated sideline argument with 34 seconds left in regulation, as Jaclyn Hendricks of The New York Post relays. Nesmith had just converted his fifth three-pointer of the quarter leading up to the incident.
  • Could the Knicks alter their starting or closing lineup for Game 2? Head coach Tom Thibodeau said “everything is always on the table” when asked about that possibility on Thursday, according to Begley, who points out (via Twitter) that the starting unit of Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart, Anunoby and Towns has a poor net rating in the playoffs.
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