Karl-Anthony Towns delivered a blunt assessment after the New York Knicks’ narrow 109-108 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday at State Farm Arena.
“We fought. We fought and that shows that we have that fight in us, no matter how the game’s going,” Towns said. “But we need to close out the game and we just didn’t today.”
The Knicks erased an early deficit and briefly took control late, but CJ McCollum’s 12.5-second jumper decided the game and gave Atlanta a 2-1 series lead.
Towns pointed to defensive lapses as the turning point. “We wasn’t getting stops. They made shots and we just didn’t stop the bleeding,” he said. “Everyone seems pretty emotional after a loss.”
New York had a late chance to swing momentum, but failed to capitalize in the final possessions. “It hurts when you give yourself a chance to win, last game and this game,” Towns said. “Credit where credit’s due, they found a way to win, but there is more that we didn’t do.”
The Knicks’ execution down the stretch became the deciding factor. “We put ourselves in position to win and didn’t close the show,” he added. “That’s why it’s emotional.”
Despite frustration, Towns stressed urgency ahead of Game 4 on Saturday. “We got to keep our heads up. It’s okay to be disappointed. We care. We got to get the next one.”
New York’s offensive rhythm fluctuated throughout the game, including missed shots in critical moments. “I don’t think about my shots. I think about the result,” Towns said. “It doesn’t mean anything if you don’t win.”
The Knicks found stretches of rhythm when their defense created transition opportunities. “Just getting stops and making shots. That’s how basketball is. You got to make more than the opponent and stop them,” he said.
Atlanta built early separation, including a strong run in the first quarter, forcing New York to chase the game for long stretches.
Towns also credited preparation work with assistant coach Mark Bryant for helping him read opposing defenses. “We’ve been locked in since day one,” he said. “He walks me through the details, tells me tendencies… but you got to give credit to them as well.”
As the series shifts back to Atlanta for Game 4, Towns made the focus clear. “We need to close the game,” he said. “We just didn’t today.”
