May 27, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives to the hoop past Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) during the third quarter of game four of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Knicks Star Casts Injury Talk Aside After Game 4

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Magliocchetti | Last updated May 28, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals proved to be painful on both a literal and figurative level for the New York Knicks.

New York's magical season is one loss from elimination after dropping a 130-121 decision to the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night. The Pacers lead the best-of-seven set 3-1 but metropolitan concerns also surrounds 3-2.

As the Knicks tried to stage a futile comeback, All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns made knee-to-knee contact with Indiana's Aaron Nesmith. Both players remained on the hardwood for a slightly extended period but each wound up staying in the game. In the aftermath, Towns focused only on mental pain rather than any physical ailments.

Karl-Anthony Towns Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

“I’m only thinking about the loss, I’m not thinking about [the injury] right now," the center said, per Phillip Martinez of SNY. "It’s disappointing when you don’t get a win. We just didn’t do enough to get the job done tonight.”

Per Jordan Mendoza of USA Today, head coach Tom Thibodeau offered a little more clarity, as the Knicks boss was enthused that Towns was able to finish the game though he did say that the star acquisition would be evaluated before declaring any status for Thursday's elimination game at Madison Square Garden (8 p.m. ET, TNT).

Towns was originally charged with a foul but a successful New York challenge ruled that Myles Turner had moved him into Nesmith. That, alas for the Knicks, was one of the few things that went right for Towns on Tuesday night, as an impactful first half was abbreviated thanks to early foul trouble.

Towns lasted just over four minutes after picking up two charges in the first frame before scoring a dozen in the second. Brilliant bookends were not to be, as he was a mere 1-of-3 in the final frame. The former Minnesota Timberwolf previously got the Knicks on the series board with a sterling 20-point effort in the final period of Sunday's game, a 106-100 New York win.

Despite the somber aura in the visitors' locker room, Towns did what he could to remain optimistic in the face of a a daunting 3-1 deficit.

"We've been a team that has kind of found a way to do the impossible when it always seemed impossible," Towns said, per Martinez. "We just keep fighting. It's gonna be a testament to our whole playoff run. Now we have to be in one of the biggest fights of our lives and of our season and that starts with the next game.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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