Wed May 28 12:51pm ET
Field Level Media
Karl-Anthony Towns carried the Knicks in Game 3, but the big man buckled in Game 4 and his status is up in the air as New York faces elimination in the Eastern Conference finals.
Towns stayed on his back in obvious pain moments after abanging knees with Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith late in the fourth quarter of a 130-121 loss at Indiana in Game 4 on Tuesday night. He briefly left the game but re-entered and was not in a talking mood postgame, leaving his status up in the air for a possible elimination game in the best-of-seven series.
As for whether Towns is confident he can take the court for Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday night, that question won't be answered immediately.
"I'm only thinking about this loss, I'm not thinking about that right now," Towns said postgame about his level of concern with the injury. "It's disappointing when you don't get a win. Just didn't do enough to get the job done (in Game 4)."
Towns, 29, was favoring his left knee in the first half, but head coach Tom Thibodeau took it as a "good sign" that he was able to continue Tuesday night.
With the Knicks trailing 3-1 in the series, Towns has done his part to keep New York in it.
He's averaging 25.8 points and 11.5 rebounds, including a memorable effort with 24 points and 15 rebounds in Game 3.
New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart produced a double-double in Tuesday's 130-121 loss to the Indiana Pacers, despite coming off the bench for the second consecutive game. He was among the game's leading rebounders with 11 boards and posted 12 points on 3-for-5 shooting. He made five of six attempts at the foul line. However, on the negative side, Hart registered a game-high five turnovers in 36 minutes. The Knicks have dropped Hart to the bench in favor of Mitchell Robinson, but he has continued to play starter's minutes and is sure to feature heavily in Thursday's elimination game. The veteran has averaged 8.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 35.8 minutes throughout the series against Indiana.
New York Knicks forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns had 24 points and 12 rebounds with three assists in Tuesday's 130-121 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. He was the only Knicks starter with a positive plus/minus for the contest, shooting 8-for-15 from the field with a 1-for-2 mark from downtown and finishing 7-for-9 at the charity stripe. Towns posted his third double-double of the series and his 10th in his last 12 games. The Knicks will certainly need another big performance from the big man in Thursday's Game 5 to stay alive in the series. Towns may appear on the injury report before the game after hurting his left knee in a collision with Aaron Nesmith late in Tuesday's game.
New York Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson finished Tuesday's 130-121 loss to the Indiana Pacers with a team-high 31 points, shooting 9-for-19 from the field and 11-for-12 at the free-throw line. He was 2-for-6 with the three-ball while completing his line with two rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. This marks the third time in the series that Brunson's big individual effort did not lead to victory for the Knicks, who are now down 3-1 in the series and will be facing elimination on home court Thursday night. Brunson is averaging 33.3 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists in the series. It looks like he must find one more gear for the Knicks to be competitive in the series.
Indiana Pacers forward/center Pascal Siakam shot 11-for-21 from the field and 5-for-6 at the charity stripe en route to 30 points in Tuesday's 130-121 victory over the New York Knicks. He matched his best performance of the postseason from behind the arc with a 3-for-4 effort. Following a relatively quiet night in Game 3, Siakam did a little bit of everything for the Pacers, finishing with five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block. The 2019 NBA champion had his second 30-point outing in the series. New York has allowed him to take 20-plus shots in the games Siakam has gone off for 30-plus points, while he has attempted only 30 shots combined in the two games where his offensive production was limited. Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau must devise a plan to limit Siakam's touches to boost his team's chances in the series.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton had a special outing in Tuesday's Game 4 against the New York Knicks, leading his team to a 130-121 victory. He became the first player in NBA history to record a triple-double in a Conference Finals game without a single turnover. Haliburton filled the stat sheet with 32 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists, and four steals, leading his team in all four categories. The Pacers star shot 11-for-23 from the field, including 5-for-12 from outside, and finished 5-for-6 at the line. The matchup against the Knicks appears to be suiting Haliburton very well, as he has significantly increased his production. Through four games, he has averaged 24.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 11.0 assists, and 2.5 steals.
Denver Nuggets point guard Russell Westbrook has undergone surgery on his right hand. The team announced that the procedure was necessary to repair multiple ligament tears in his hand. In the announcement, the Nuggets mentioned that Westbrook is expected to resume full offseason training in the summer. This indicates that he will be at 100 percent for the start of next season. The former MVP has a $3.47 million player option for the 2025-26 campaign. While coming off the bench for most of the season, Westbrook averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.4 steals in his first year with the Nuggets. He isn't the player he once was, but he can still make an impact in fantasy basketball.
Indiana's G Tyrese Haliburton recorded a triple-double, finishing with 32 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds in a 130-121 win over the Knicks on Tuesday, May. 27.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished as the team's top scorer in Monday's 128-126 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, posting 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting off the bench. Minnesota's second unit played a big role in the contest, as Donte DiVincenzo also came alive with a 22-point effort. Alexander-Walker's offensive contributions didn't end with his scoring, as he matched Anthony Edwards for the team high with six assists. The 26-year-old completed his line with four rebounds and two steals, shooting 5-for-8 from deep. While playing against his cousin Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the series, Alexander-Walker has significantly increased his offensive output, averaging 17.3 points over his past three outings. Edwards and Julius Randle combined for only 21 points on Monday, making Alexander-Walker's improvement on the offensive end timely for the team.
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels made an impact all over the court in Monday's Game 4 against the Oklahoma City Thunder, notching 22 points, four rebounds, two assists, four steals, and one block in a 128-126 loss. He was Minnesota's leading scorer among the starting unit, shooting 9-for-15 from the field and 3-for-6 from behind the arc. McDaniels is highly regarded for his defense, but he has also stepped up offensively in these playoffs, averaging 15.4 points per game. In the matchup against the Thunder, McDaniels has already had two 20-point outings. Given Julius Randle's struggles, the Thunder may have to rely even more on McDaniels for offense in Wednesday's elimination game.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams bounced back from a tough Game 3 outing with a big 34-point effort in Monday's 128-126 Game 4 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander putting up 40 points, the Thunder had their first duo in 11 years to each score 30-plus points in the same playoff contest. Williams did his work with 13-for-24 shooting, including a 6-for-9 performance from downtown. He led his team with three steals and recorded three rebounds with five assists. While Gilgeous-Alexander grabs the headlines, Williams continues to have a highly productive postseason in the background. In the series against the Timberwolves, he has averaged 23.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard/forward Anthony Edwards had a quiet evening in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday, scoring only 16 points on 5-for-13 shooting in a 128-126 loss. A couple more shots and makes from the Timberwolves superstar, and we could be talking about a tied series. However, similarly to the series opener, Edwards struggled to get shots off. Most of his misses came from three-point land with a 1-for-7 effort, and Edwards finished 5-for-7 with his free throws. His night included four rebounds and six assists, but the three-time All-Star also committed five turnovers. Following a quiet Game 1, Edwards was much more active and went off for back-to-back 30-point games. The Timberwolves will be hoping the same happens again, with the team facing elimination in Wednesday's Game 5.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander returned to MVP form in Monday's Game 4 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, putting up a game-high 40 points on 13-for-30 shooting in a 128-126 win. After finishing a blowout loss in Game 3 with a season-low 14 points, Gilgeous-Alexander had the same amount of points racked up already in the first quarter. As usual, he was busy again at the free-throw line, going 12-for-14, and he finished with 2-for-7 shooting from outside. One more rebound would have given Gilgeous-Alexander a 40-point triple-double, as he collected nine boards with 10 assists and one steal. Gilgeous-Alexander had a disappointing night on Saturday, but he's enjoyed a productive series overall, averaging 30.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.8 steals.
Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Tuesday's Game 4 against the New York Knicks. Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle has said Nesmith will "likely" be a game-time decision for the contest. The 25-year-old is trying to overcome a right ankle sprain suffered in Sunday's Game 3 loss. Having Nesmith available would be crucial for the Pacers, as he is among the team's top defensive players and has shown incredible shooting efficiency in the postseason. Nesmith has fired in 53.5 percent of his triples in the playoffs, with his biggest performance coming in Game 1 against the Knicks, where he finished 8-for-9 from downtown. If Nesmith is unable to play Tuesday night, Ben Sheppard and Bennedict Mathurin will likely be called upon to take on more responsibilities.
Thunder's G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded a double-double, scoring 40 points with 10 assists in a 128-126 win over Minnesota on Monday, May. 26.
According to ESPN's Kevin Pelton, the Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets are teams to watch as possible landing spots for Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. It's widely known the Nets will have plenty of money to spend this offseason. However, Chicago's situation is more complicated, so a sign-and-trade scenario could be in play, with the Bulls sending center Nikola Vucevic to Golden State. Kuminga, who will be a restricted free agent, averaged 15.3 points, 4.6 boards, and 2.2 assists in 47 appearances last season. Unfortunately, he fell out of the rotation throughout most of the postseason, so it seems the front office may be ready to move on. At any rate, the 22-year-old should see a substantial uptick in production in Brooklyn and Chicago. On the other hand, Kuminga's ceiling won't be as high if he stays with the Warriors, especially with Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry on the roster.
According to ESPN's Kevin Pelton, the Philadelphia 76ers may have a tougher time retaining restricted free-agent guard/forward Quentin Grimes. Philly has the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and the team is already operating at the luxury tax line. As a result, the front office may look to avoid entering the second apron, which would give Grimes the ability to search for a new team this offseason. The 25-year-old had the best stretch of his career in 28 games last season in Philadelphia, averaging 21.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. However, he did all of that mostly while Tyrese Maxey (finger), Joel Embiid (knee), and Paul George (adductor, knee) were sidelined. Pelton added a few teams to watch that include Brooklyn and Charlotte, although the Nets are projected to have more spending power than other franchises around the National Basketball Association. With that in mind, Grimes is someone to monitor moving ahead. If he stays in Philadelphia, he'll have trouble being as productive, considering Maxey, George, and Embiid are expected to be back in the equation. But if Grimes heads to Brooklyn or Charlotte, he'll have a chance to earn consistent playing time, including carving out a spot in the starting lineup.
New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson might start in Sunday's postseason meeting with Indiana. Karl-Anthony Towns hasn't looked the best, especially on the defensive end. As a result, head coach Tom Thibodeau may need Robinson in the middle, with KAT potentially sliding over to the four spot, similar to the role he played in his final few seasons in Minnesota. Robinson has averaged only 4.0 points in the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals. However, he has logged 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per contest. If the 27-year-old finds himself in the starting lineup, he'll likely see a surge in attention from DFS managers. Unfortunately, Josh Hart may have a tough time being as productive as usual, considering he is anticipated to move to the bench.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton had a 14-point, 11-assist double-double in Friday's playoff win over the Knicks. The 25-year-old was the hero in Game 1. However, he wasn't as productive in this one. Haliburton also had trouble finding the bottom of the net, going 3-for-10 from downtown. He at least made up for it by securing eight rebounds, his second-highest mark of the postseason. With Indiana stealing Games 1 and 2 on the road, both teams will head to Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Game 3 on Sunday. Haliburton averaged 25.5 points, 11.0 assists, and 3.5 boards in two games versus the Knicks in Indiana during the regular season.
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam had a game-high 39 points in the Game 2 win over the Knicks. He added five boards, three assists, and one steal. The veteran struggled shooting in Game 1. However, things were different this time around, with Siakam going 15-for-23 from the field and 3-for-5 from downtown. The Knicks had trouble keeping up with the Pacers' speedy offensive approach, and Siakam took full advantage. With the Knicks dropping both games at home to begin the series, the Pacers will look for another win on Sunday in Indiana. In two games against New York at home during the regular season, Siakam averaged 19.0 points and 6.5 boards. Although he struggled from the field in those contests, he shot an efficient 41.7% from behind the arc.
Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner scored 16 points in Friday's playoff victory over New York. The 2015 No. 11 overall pick shined in the previous series versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. However, he hasn't been nearly as potent against the Knicks, averaging 15.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 25.0% shooting from downtown, all down from the Conference semifinals. With Mitchell Robinson in the mix and dominating the glass, head coach Rick Carlisle may need more size underneath the rim in Game 3, meaning Turner might sit more on Sunday.
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