All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns showed his appreciation for the New York Knicks fanbase after his team pulled off a stunning 115-104 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday.
Even when the Knicks were down by 20+ points early in the fourth quarter, the fans at Madison Square Garden cheered their team—and their loyalty was ultimately rewarded.
“Anyone who’s been to the Garden can tell you, when the crowd is in the game, and you feel that energy, you feel unstoppable,” Towns told “SC with SVP,” via ClutchPoints.
“Our fans are the best fans in the world,” added Towns, who finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and five assists in the Game 1 win.
“They give us so much energy. They give us so much love. Whenever we’re feeling like the game’s getting away from us, our fans put us back in the game.”
KAT Dedicates Win to Knicks Fans
Towns went as far as to claim that his team would have likely thrown in the towel if it weren’t for the passionate Knicks fans.
“I really, truly feel the fans were the ones that got us this win tonight,” Towns stressed.
“They gave us the energy to fight back and gave us the motivation to get it done.”
The Knicks fell to a 93-71 hole with 8:19 left in the fourth quarter when Cavs star Donovan Mitchell made a three-pointer. Thereafter, New York outscored Cleveland by a staggering margin of 44-11 to pull off a historic come-from-behind win.
Knicks Take 1-0 Series Lead
New York’s 22-point comeback in the fourth quarter was the second-largest in a playoff game over the last 30 years, trailing only the LA Clippers‘ 24-point comeback against the Memphis Grizzlies in 2012.
“Keep fighting, keep chipping away. We’re not going to get it back in one possession,” Knicks star Brunson said after the win.
“Most importantly, sticking together. No matter how that game finished, habits translate, translates to the next game. We’re just doing; we’re not giving up. We don’t want to give up, ever, so having faith in each other.”
Brunson finished with 38 points and six assists, furthering his legacy as an all-time great Knick. The southpaw has already risen to No. 3 all-time in Knicks playoff points and seems primed to overtake Walt Frazier for No. 2 by the 2027 NBA playoffs.
ESPN’s Vincent Goodwill expects the Knicks to ride Brunson’s red-hot form in Game 2.
“Expect the Knicks to continue feeding Brunson in Game 2, especially if they can’t use Karl-Anthony Towns as the all-around hub he was in the past two series,” he wrote. “Going back to Brunson and running everything through him could be the best course of action. And this time, they won’t have to wait until the fourth quarter.
“Cleveland won’t be any fresher — emotionally or physically — after this game, and more specifically, this collapse is of historic proportions.
“New York should take this opportunity and pounce. The Knicks have shaken off the rust, and their opponent is surely staggered after one game.”
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