The Knicks pulled off a stunner in Game 3, clawing back from a 20-point hole to edge out the Pacers 106-100 in a gritty Eastern Conference finals showdown. Leading the charge was Karl-Anthony Towns, who turned Gainbridge Fieldhouse into his personal stage, especially in a fourth quarter that had Knicks fans roaring and Pacers fans stunned. This wasn’t just another playoff win—it was a performance that hit deep for Towns, carrying a heartfelt connection to his late mother.
Towns, whose mother passed away in April 2020, lit up the scoreboard on a night that doubled as Dominican Mother’s Day, a nod to his heritage and a moment that meant the world to him. “My mom’s side of the family hit me up and told me they were going to be watching the game with my aunts,” Towns said postgame. “It just meant a lot that I was able to play on a day like today.” And play he did—nowhere more than in the fourth, where he poured in 20 of his 24 points, a one-man wrecking crew who refused to let the Knicks’ season slip away.
Picture this: the Knicks are down big, the Pacers are cruising, and the energy in Indy feels like it’s all but sealed New York’s fate. Then Towns flips the script. He finished the night with 24 points on 8-of-17 shooting, including a silky 3-of-5 from deep, and hauled in 15 rebounds to boot. It wasn’t just the numbers—it was how he got them. After being glued to the bench late in Game 2, Towns took Game 3’s final frame personally, bullying his way to the rim and draining shots that had the crowd buzzing. That poster dunk on Andrew Nembhard? Pure electricity, the kind of play that gets replayed on highlight reels for years.
But Towns wasn’t out there going rogue. He leaned on his teammates, and they delivered right back. “My teammates put me in great spots to succeed, and I just wanted to capitalize on the opportunity,” he said. “All of us were just doing whatever it takes.” That team-first vibe was the heartbeat of New York’s comeback. Mikal Bridges was driving hard to the hoop, dropping 15 points with his relentless energy. OG Anunoby chipped in 16, including a clutch three that had the Pacers scrambling. Even Mitchell Robinson got in on the action, throwing down dunks that kept the momentum swinging New York’s way. This was a collective gut-check, a reminder that the Knicks aren’t just a one-man show—they’re a squad with fight.
The game itself was a tale of two halves. The Pacers came out swinging, building that 20-point lead with Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin slicing through New York’s defense like it was a warm-up scrimmage. But the Knicks, coached by the ever-grinding Tom Thibodeau, didn’t blink. They chipped away, tightening up on D and finding their rhythm on offense. By the time the fourth quarter hit, Towns and company were in full attack mode, turning a blowout into a nail-biter. The final score—106-100—doesn’t even capture the heart-pounding chaos of those last minutes.
For Towns, this wasn’t just about stats or highlights. It was personal. Playing on a day tied to his mother’s heritage, with family watching, he found an extra gear. “I saw an opportunity to utilize what was ours,” he said. “The game wasn’t looking great for me or all of us. I just wanted to do what it takes to put us in a position to win.” That’s the kind of leadership that can shift a series, and with the Pacers still up 2-1, the Knicks are banking on that fire to carry them into Game 4.
Now, New York heads into Tuesday’s clash with a chance to even things up in Indiana. After dropping the first two games at home, this Game 3 gut-punch to the Pacers feels like a momentum-shifter. The Knicks showed they can go toe-to-toe on the road, and with Towns playing like a man possessed, they’re ready to give Indy a taste of their own medicine. If this team keeps playing with that chip on their shoulder, the Eastern Conference finals just got a whole lot spicier.
