Karl-Anthony Towns hasn’t scored in the fourth quarter of the 2026 NBA Finals. Not once. Zero points on 0-for-6 shooting across 29 minutes of combined fourth-quarter play in three games, and after Monday’s 115-111 loss at Madison Square Garden dropped the Knicks to 2-1 in the series, Mike Brown isn’t treating it as a secondary concern anymore.
“It’s extremely important that he’s getting touches, that he’s involved, not just in the fourth quarter but obviously throughout the ballgame,” Brown told reporters after the game. “I need to continue trying to do a better job of getting him involved throughout the course of the game, as well as late.”
A ghost in the fourth quarter
Towns is averaging 16.7 points per game in this series, down from his 20.1 regular-season mark. He contributed eight rebounds and three steals in Game 3, but his 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting did nothing to stop San Antonio from outscoring New York in the final frame. In three fourth quarters combined, Towns went 0-for-6 from the field, 0-for-2 from three, and never reached the free throw line.
The Knicks lost Game 3 despite holding a 2-0 lead and the full weight of Madison Square Garden behind them. Victor Wembanyama delivered 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting, and every moment New York’s offense stalled, the Spurs found another opening.
The mismatch the Knicks aren’t cashing in on
San Antonio doesn’t always put Wembanyama on Towns. When the Spurs switch defensive assignments, Towns ends up guarded by a smaller player – a situation that should produce easy buckets. The Knicks haven’t been consistent enough in going after it.
Brown’s diagnosis points to pace. “There were a lot of times where the decisions weren’t made quick last night. One guy caught, held, held, held, held. Now the defense settles in. Now you’re in trouble.” His solution for tonight: faster ball movement, ball reversal, paint touches, and decisions made before the defense can organize.
Wembanyama made those hesitations costly. He scored 22 of his 32 points at the rim or from the free throw line (8-of-9) – both spots that a faster, more decisive Knicks offense might have kept out of his reach.
What Game 4 looks like if Towns shows up
Towns is still the leading candidate for Finals MVP by volume, and New York holds a 2-1 lead heading into Game 4 tonight at MSG. But this series has stopped looking like a procession.
If Brown engineers a more fluid offense and Towns converts the fourth-quarter chances that have eluded him so far, the Spurs may not have a counter. One win tonight leaves New York two wins from a championship.
Source: ESPN
