New York Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns turned in an All-Star regular season that gave him an outside shot at All-NBA recognition. Unfortunately, he's long revealed a painful tendency to fail to live up to his regular season reputation.
Game 1 of the Knicks' first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks was heading in that very direction, but Towns ultimately eased New York's mind.
Towns entered the fourth quarter shooting 2-of-9 from the field and relying on defensive highlights to help overlook that Hawks big Onyeka Okongwu was consistently burying shots. It ultimately looked like yet another lackluster offensive display from the All-NBA big.
Thankfully, Towns stepped up with a massive fourth quarter that helped put the finishing touches on a win that his teammates positioned the Knicks to secure.
Though there are unavoidable flaws to point out, Towns' performance in the fourth quarter shouldn't be glossed over. Yes, attempting nine free throws through three quarters certainly helped, and it's impossible to overlook the fact that he had five turnovers and five fouls.
If Towns can turn his fourth quarter heroics into a sustainable path to offensive execution, however, then the Knicks can compete with just about anyone.
Karl-Anthony Towns overcomes slow start to dominate fourth quarter
Towns finished Game 1 with 25 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and one steal on 6-of-13 shooting from the field. He buried three of his four three-point field goals and shot a perfect 10-of-10 at the free throw line.
Towns scored 11 of those 25 points during the fourth quarter alone, with only one of those points being scored at the charity stripe.
It was a welcome turn of events after the first three quarters left the Knicks with more questions than answers. It was also a necessary development when one considers how well the Hawks played down the stretch, particularly on offense.
Atlanta scored 28 points during the fourth quarter and nearly closed the gap late in the game, but Towns' eruption helped ensure that Game 1 would end in New York's favor.
Moving forward, the Knicks clearly need Towns to offer a healthier degree of offensive dependability across the first three quarters of games. If they can trust Jalen Brunson to dominate one half and Towns to take over during the other, however, then few teams will be able to match their firepower.
If nothing else, Game 1 proved that Towns is a far more dangerous postseason threat than his critics might suggest.
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