The Knicks’ problem: Towns and the fourth quarter – 0 Points through three games
Through the first three games of the NBA Finals, Karl-Anthony Towns has yet to score a single point in the fourth quarter. Knicks coach Mike Brown broke down the issue and its tactical implications
The New York Knicks’ 13-game winning streak came crashing to a halt in the harsh reality of Game 3, and suddenly all eyes are on Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks center, who had been a driving force behind Mike Brown’s playoff run, has once again run into the same issue that plagued him during the regular season: disappearing in the biggest moments.
The numbers don’t lie. Through the first three games of the NBA Finals, KAT has not scored a single point in the fourth quarter. In the first two games of the series, the problem was masked by the brilliance of Jalen Brunson and a dominant team defensive effort, but in Game 3 the formula finally broke down. On the team’s off day, coach Mike Brown addressed the issue directly:
It’s critical that Towns touches the ball and stays involved – not just in the fourth quarter, but throughout the entire game. I need to do a better job myself of incorporating him into what we do, both early and late in games
Mike Brown
In Game 3, Towns finished with a quiet stat line of 11 points on just 10 shot attempts in 38 minutes, including 0-for-4 shooting in the fourth quarter. Yet during the first half, the Knicks were at their best whenever the ball flowed through him: New York scored 23 points and committed zero turnovers on half-court possessions in which KAT touched the ball.
But after a 42-point second quarter, the Knicks’ offense completely stalled in the second half, producing just 47 points over the final two periods.
The tactical issue is becoming increasingly clear: the Spurs, led by a “villain-mode” Victor Wembanyama, are defending Towns with smaller, more physical defenders, disrupting his rhythm and forcing the Knicks into a stagnant, predictable offense.
New York shot a miserable 25.9% from the field in the fourth quarter, turning into exactly what San Antonio wants them to be: a one-man show centered around Jalen Brunson. The Knicks’ point guard emphasized the need to rediscover the offensive chemistry that carried the team this far:
We have to get back to doing the things that got us here. It’s about tactical discipline, and in Game 3 we weren’t disciplined enough
Jalen Brunson
There is no panic at Madison Square Garden, even though it had been 46 days since the Knicks last had to answer questions following a loss. The issue is not the officiating – which Brown criticized immediately after the final buzzer before backing away from the topic the following day – but rather the team’s stagnant ball movement.
Our basketball has always been about pace, spacing, and quick decisions. In Game 3, the ball stuck too much. Catch, dribble, dribble, dribble. When that happens, the defense gets set and you’re in trouble. We have a veteran group, nobody’s losing their minds, but we’re disappointed. We didn’t play to our standards
Mike Brown
The NBA Finals resume tonight with a pivotal Game 4 (2:30 a.m. Italian time) that could significantly shape the direction of the series. The Knicks have a chance to move within one win of an NBA championship.