Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t need a stunning individual moment to win Game 2 of the NBA Finals. He just needed to be Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Knicks’ big man finished with 21 points (8-for-12 from the field, 3-for-5 from three), 13 rebounds, 4 assists and one block in Friday’s 105-104 win over the San Antonio Spurs – a plus-11 in 34 minutes. In doing so, Towns became the first Knick to record a 20-point double-double in an NBA Finals road game since Dave DeBusschere in 1973, per NBA.com. New York now leads the series 2-0.
Towns tops the Finals MVP ladder entering Game 3.
Why the matchup is going New York’s way
Victor Wembanyama (29 pts, 9 reb) is capable of being the best player in a Finals game. He proved it Friday – scoring 22 of his points in the second half as the Spurs nearly pulled off one of the great comebacks in recent Finals history. But Towns is doing something different: consistently good, on both ends, in both games, with numbers that hold up under any scrutiny.
Through two games, Towns is averaging 21 points and 13.5 rebounds on 54% shooting and 50% from three. The efficiency stands out for a series this intense. His combined plus-minus across both games sits at +18. Wembanyama’s issue isn’t talent – he’s getting 29 from Wemby and losing. KAT is getting 21 and winning. The teams around them are the difference.
A 53-year wait for a moment like this
Dave DeBusschere. Most Knicks fans know the name. Fewer knew it would take 53 years for another New York big man to match that kind of Finals road performance. Towns did it Friday in San Antonio.
Mikal Bridges (20 pts, 8-for-9 from the field) was equally precise. Jalen Brunson (20 pts, 7-of-25 FG) struggled with his shot but converted the decisive free throw in the final seconds. The Knicks’ depth keeps absorbing individual off-nights.
What it means heading into Game 3
Game 3 is Monday, June 8, at Madison Square Garden, 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC. If Towns continues this level of play at home, the Spurs face a serious problem. The MSG crowd adds a dimension San Antonio hasn’t had to manage yet in this series.
The Finals MVP race is still open – Brunson will re-enter the conversation if he finds his shot. But through two games, this is KAT’s award to lose, and New York’s series to close.
Sources: NBA.com Finals MVP Ladder – Yahoo Sports – NBC Sports
