As the New York Knicks trailed in the final stretch of Game 2 against the Indiana Pacers, head coach Tom Thibodeau decided to leave Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench for most of the fourth quarter.
Towns exited with nine minutes left and didn’t return until the game had nearly slipped away, with just over two minutes remaining and the Knicks down by nine.
Explaining his move after the game, Thibodeau said he prioritized the momentum of the group on the court.
“We dug ourselves into a hole, and the unit we had out there was giving us a shot,” Thibodeau stated. “We stuck with them because we’re doing everything we can to come away with a win.”
Towns, when asked about his reduced minutes during the closing stretch, chose not to dwell on the decision and instead focused on the team’s overall situation.
“A loss is a loss, no matter how it happens,” Towns said. “Now it’s about regrouping and being ready for the next game.”
This marks the second consecutive playoff game where Towns found himself sidelined in key moments.
In Game 1, he also missed much of the fourth quarter and only re-entered as part of a situational offense-defense rotation with Mitchell Robinson.
Tom Thibodeau on Karl-Anthony Towns Sitting Late: We're Searching For A Win https://t.co/25KdFUNs3P
— RealGM (@RealGM) May 24, 2025
