Knicks Stars Must Step Up in Game 4

The New York Knicks are at a crucial point in their series in Game 4 against the Boston Celtics, and they need their stars to rise to the top.

Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are the top performers on the team, but they haven't lived up to their superstar status during the series.

Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey looks into why that is the case.

"It seems a little odd to push this take after the comebacks in which Brunson was so instrumental, but over the balance of the entire series, he's struggled with his shot. And he's not alone," Bailey wrote.

"Brunson is averaging 24.3 points, but he's only shooting 38.1 percent from the field. The Knicks have lost his minutes on the floor. Karl-Anthony Towns, meanwhile, is averaging 18.7 points on 42.6 percent shooting. He's 1-of-7 from deep."

"And those numbers don't feel like the result of three mere off nights. Boston, even without a fully functional Porzingis, has a roster tailor-made to bother just about any star (or type of star)."

"Jaylen Brown famously held Luka Doncic well below his typical level in the 2024 Finals. White and Holiday can similarly frustrate Brunson. Both are bigger than the Knicks star. And they're heady defenders, too," Bailey continued.

"A lot of the tricks Brunson is able to leverage against other, less experienced defenders, like the stop in front of the defender or the lurching jumper, aren't as effective against this backcourt."

In order for the Knicks to finish the series off, it will come down to Brunson and Towns' abilities to take over games. It won't be easy against Brown and Jayson Tatum, but that's what it takes to get past the Celtics in a playoff series.