By Geoffrey Latayan
Karl-Anthony Towns was shipped from Minnesota to New York as part of a multi-team deal during the off season, and the Knicks are currently reaping the rewards of that decision as they are still standing in the Eastern Conference.
In Game 3 on Sunday night, Towns showed his worth, saving New York from a disastrous 3-0 deficit by spearheading a surge that overturned a 20-point first-half deficit to help the Knicks win 106-100.
After being held to four points in the first three quarters, the former first-overall pick dropped 20 points in the pay-off period to help New York complete the comeback.
The victory reduced the series deficit to 2-1 and offers New York a chance to tie it up in Game 4 on Tuesday night in Indianapolis.
Never-say-die Knicks step up in second half
Still down by 16 midway in the third frame, the Knicks muscled their way to cutting the deficit to 10 by the fourth period.
The seven-footer then asserted himself against the smaller Pacers defence, burying a three-pointer before making two lay-ups to get the Knicks close at 79-82.
Towns’ teammate, Jalen Brunson, subsequently joined the fray to give New York an 89-88 lead with 7:10 left.
In the end, Towns finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds while Brunson added 23 points despite being hampered with foul trouble as the Knicks took the game.
“It’s a true test when you’re down 20-plus,” Towns said.
“Tonight was the kind of night where we had to have that never-say-die attitude.”
Towns also hailed his teammates and coach Tom Thibodeau for putting him in spots where he could make the most out of every opportunity.
“All of us are just trying to do whatever it takes to win, get ourselves back in the game,” he said.
“We wanted to put ourselves in a position where at the end of the game we found ourselves with a chance of winning.”
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Pacers remain buried under ‘Indianapolis 500 curse’
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 20 points plus six assists and Myles Turner added 19 as Indiana failed to break its ‘Indianapolis 500 curse’.
The Pacers are now 0-4 all-time when playing on the same day the Indianapolis 500 is run.
Two of those defeats have been against the Knicks.
Interestingly, the Knicks’ win at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse was done in front of six Indiana players who were key in their 2000 Eastern Conference championship run, including Hall of Famer Reggie Miller.
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