Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t want to talk about his knee.
After New York’s 130–121 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the veteran forward made it clear his focus remained on the team’s performance, not on his health.
“I’m only thinking about the loss,” Towns said in the postgame press conference. “We just didn’t do enough to get the job done tonight.”
Towns recorded 24 points and 12 rebounds, but the Knicks were unable to match Indiana’s pace or intensity, falling behind 3–1 in the best-of-seven series.
“We didn’t match their pace,” Towns added. “We just didn’t match what we needed to do tonight to start the game.”
Indiana raced out to a 43-point first quarter, and although the Knicks responded in the second, the early deficit proved too steep to overcome.
True to form, New York clawed back late, cutting the lead to six multiple times in the fourth quarter, but the Pacers answered every run.
“You get burned putting yourself in that position too many times,” Towns said. “Tonight was one of those nights where we got burnt.”
Despite controlling the boards and shooting over 46 percent from the field, turnovers and defensive lapses left the Knicks vulnerable.
Towns acknowledged the stats didn’t tell the full story: “Sometimes you win the rebounding battle and all that and still lose… We just didn’t do enough.”
When asked about what lies ahead, Towns struck a determined tone.
“We’ve been a team that has found a way to do the impossible when it seemed impossible,” he said. “Now we have to be in one of the biggest fights of our lives—and of our season.”
Game 5 is set for Thursday at Madison Square Garden, where New York will need a win to keep its season alive.
Towns stressed the team aspect of the loss and dismissed the idea of placing blame on any individual.
“If you write anything, write about the team—not about anybody else singularly,” he said.
As the Knicks face elimination, Towns offered a final reminder of what’s at stake.
“Take it game by game,” he said. “Don’t look ahead. Worry about the first quarter of the next game. We’ll deal with the rest later.”
