Towns Is Big In Game 3 Win
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
By Andrew Rosario
Tibbs Expands His Bench In Game 3
Photo: Special to the NY Beacon
Desperate times called for desperate measures for the New York Knicks and head coach Tom Thibodeau. They lost game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Indian Pacers having a 17-point lead with over 6 minutes to go in the 4th quarter. They had a 9-point lead with 1 minute to go before losing in overtime 138-135. They lost game 2 114-109 putting them in a 0-2 hole having to go on the road for games 3 and 4. Their second-best player, Karl-Anthony Towns was benched for the last 5 minutes when the game was on the line. So, when they played game Sunday last night, Tibbs made major changes to the starting lineup.
Starter for most of the regular season and playoffs, Josh Was benched as forward/center Mitchell Robinson took his spot alongside of Towns. At first, it looked like the move would back fire as the Pacers jumped out to a 20-point lead. They were down 16 late in the third quarter and were on the verge of going down 3 games to none. But as they did twice against the Boston Celtics in the previous series, New York found a way to get back in the game and back in the series with a 106-100 win.
Towns scored 20 of is 24 points in the 4th quarter with captain Jalen Brunson scoring 23. Thibodeau did something he hadn’t done for most of the season in expanding his bench. Hart (34 minutes) came off the bench and scored 9 points. Deion Wright played 13 minutes (2-poitns), Landry Shamet (11 minutes 3-points) and Miles McBride 8 points (15 minutes) kept the starters fresh down the stretch. It was the 3rd time the team overcame a 20-point deficit on the playoffs.
Said Towns afterwards, “It’s a true test when you’re down 20-plus. Tonight was the kind of night where he had to have that never-say-die attitude.” When they faced Indiana Tuesday night down 2-1, they know they will come back home Thursday night for game 5, they are hoping to even the series or facing elimination.
Towns was not happy about the way he played in game 2 which had him sitting in the last critical minutes. He credited his teammates for his performance. “They put me in great spots to succeed, and I just wanted to capitalize on the opportunity. “All of us are just trying to do whatever it takes to win, get ourselves back in the game. We wanted to put ourselves in a position to where at the end of the game we found ourselves with a chance of winning.”
The New York Knicks are looking to get back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 when they lost to the San Antonio Spurs in 6 games.
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