Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a 20-point, 10-rebound, seven-assist performance as the New York Knicks secured a 108-102 win over the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday, May 6, taking a 2-0 series lead.
The matchup stayed tight throughout, and Towns pointed directly to execution and defense as the turning point in the closing stretch.
“I mean, we just found a way to execute. We got the stops that was needed. Got the rebounds. I think that was something that was really hurting us, their offensive rebounds, and we found a way to get the stops in those possessions. And on offense, shout out to Mikal and Jalen for making the big shots and giving us a lead like that. But our defense was something special.”
Towns also addressed the physical nature of the game and how foul calls influenced his approach on both ends.
“Don’t lose physicality. That’s something that’s done well in the last game. I’ll look at the tape, I’ll get better, more disciplined. I don’t want to put my team in a position again. So I got to do a better job.”
His focus on decision-making with the ball reflected his broader approach to the game as the Knicks leaned on multiple playmakers in key moments.
“I did a lot of things the right way. I just wanted to go out and impact winning. It wasn’t even about matchup or anything, but making the right play when the ball hit my hands. I’m just going to impact winning. I was able to do that tonight.”
Towns also described how he managed rhythm after time on the bench due to foul trouble, emphasizing aggression and readiness.
“Just being aggressive. I always talk about being aggressive and playmaking. For better or worse, I may not have been able to play many minutes in the first half, but trying to use that as an advantage of having a more rested body than everybody else on the court and just try to be a spark plug for our team coming out of halftime.”
He later explained the balance between competitive instincts and trust in the coaching staff after being sidelined in key stretches.
“I wanted to be out there helping our team win. Obviously disappointed I got the foul call, but I felt that I just wanted to be in the game, help us win. You trust your coaching staff and he told me I will come back in the fourth quarter and to be ready.”
With the series shifting and pressure increasing, Towns’ emphasis stayed consistent across his message: execution, discipline, and winning possessions defined the Knicks’ control late in Game 2.
