Knicks Star's Playoff Breakout Comes on Special Day

Karl-Anthony Towns' Sunday night show—a 24-point, 15-rebound double-double in a Sunday night showdown against the Indiana Pacers—could well be the mother of all modern New York Knicks playoff performances.

Never mind the fact that Towns' fantastic fourth quarter allowed the Knicks to get on the board in the Eastern Conference Finals with a 106-100 victory in Game 3. Forget also that it came two nights after Towns endured a lengthy stay on the bench during crunch time in the preceding game.

Above all, the individual and team triumph proved euphoric and emotional for Towns as it landed on the Dominican Republic's national celebration of Mother's Day. Towns' basketball career was partly built by his mother and Knicks fan Jacqueline Cruz, who passed in April 2020.

"Shoutout to my mom." ❤️

KAT with a special message on Dominican Mother's Day 🫶 pic.twitter.com/s2fnU8ePWR
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 26, 2025

Never one to hide to hide his Dominican descent or his family's impact upon his life, Towns offered a "shoutout to [his] mom" as he ended his postgame interview with Allie LaForce of TNT Sports and acknowledged the special sensation of playing a game like Sunday's on such a poignant date.

"It just meant a lot that I was able to play on a day like today," Towns said, per James Edwards III of The Athletic. "Obviously, I didn’t know my mom was expecting a game like tonight, but I’m just happy that this team was able to get a win on her day.”

Towns closed Sunday's game by exceeding every expectation that the Knicks placed upon him when they traded two beloved franchise men (Donte DiVincenzo/Julius Randle) to the Minnesota Timberwolves to obtained his services.

The All-Star/All-NBA center scored 20 points in the final period, joining teammate Jalen Brunson as the only Knicks to put up a double-decade in a playoff game's fourth. That helped the Knicks erase an Indiana lead that stood at 10 when the final dozen tipped off and reached as high as 20 during first half action.

May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game three of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Between points, assists, and possession created via defensive rebounds, Towns played a direct role in all but two of the Knicks' first 24 tallies in the fourth quarter, the first that ended in the Knicks favor in the series. He credited his on-court family for keeping faith in him and further lauded their collective talents and identities in the aftermath of a sterling victory.

"When I got a chance tonight to do what I do in the fourth, I made sure I was going to seize the opportunity," Towns told LaForce in his postgame interview. "I just wanted to go out there and give a chance to win, just glad I was able to do to that ... this team is special. That locker room is special. I think, for us to have the grittiness that we have it's because of the characters and the personalities and sacrifices that everyone is willing to make."

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