Karl-Anthony Towns discusses his increased playmaking in round one against the Atlanta Hawks.
It was the second straight blowout victory for the Knicks after they lost games two and three by one point each.
The Hawks grabbed a very early lead in game five, but never extended their lead by more than one possession. The Knicks took a 9-6 lead with 8:41 remaining in the first and never looked back, pushing the lead higher and higher before walking away with a 35-22 advantage after the first quarter.
They would lead by as much as 32 late in the fourth quarter before closing things out.
Karl-Anthony Towns Makes An Impact
Fans and pundits wanted more out of Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns following games two and three, despite the fact that he was one of the Knicks most impactful players in game three with 21 points, 17 rebounds, and a +22.
He answered the call in game four, though maybe not in the way many expected.
Instead of taking more shots, Towns became a playmaker. In game four, he recorded his first career playoff triple double, putting up 20 points, ten rebounds, and ten assists.
Though Jalen Brunson exploded for 39 points in game five, Towns provided more of the same with his playmaking ability, finishing with 16 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists.
"I feel like passing has been my thing since I came into the league. Sometimes the scoring gets more noticed than the passing, but I'm glad that I'm able to have the opportunity to show what I can do passing-wise with my team cutting in the series. I just have to continue to stay disciplined and make the right play, regardless if it's a scoring play or a hockey assist," Towns said after the game.
Towns said that he wants to continue to do what he needs to do to help the team win.
Passing Into Defense
Asked how his passing helps bring out the best of the Knicks offense, Towns said, "It gives us life and energy to the basketball. It translates to our defense, getting a good possesion with ball movement brings energy to our game."
The Knicks defense has held the Hawks to under 100 points in each of the last two games.
New York has done a good job protecting the basketball throughout the series, but not having live ball tunrovers and forcing the Hawks to take the ball of out the hoop, allowing New York to set its defense, has made things easier on that side of the floor in the past two games.