Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns reveals why he went quiet in 4th quarter vs. Hawks

The New York Knicks suffered a costly setback in Game 2 vs. the Atlanta Hawks, falling 107-106 after a late collapse that evened the series at 1-1 on Monday night. Karl-Anthony Towns’ quiet fourth quarter emerged as a defining storyline, raising questions about New York’s late-game execution.

The loss stings given how firmly the Knicks controlled the game early. New York entered the fourth quarter with a 91-79 lead following a dominant stretch led by Towns. However, the offense stalled late, scoring just 15 points while the Hawks surged for 28 to complete the comeback.

The former Minnesota Timberwolves big man did not score in the fourth quarter. He did most of his damage in the third, when he poured in 14 points to help build New York’s lead. Jalen Brunson provided steady production throughout, leading the Knicks with 29 points while shouldering most of the late-game offensive responsibility.

Atlanta capitalized on the shift in momentum. CJ McCollum powered the comeback with a game‑high 32 points, while Jonathan Kuminga (19 points) and Jalen Johnson (17 points, including a basket with about 10 seconds left for a four‑point lead) supplied key buckets down the stretch. The game flipped quickly, exposing New York’s struggles to execute on both ends during the most critical possessions of the fourth quarter.

SNY Knicks Videos shared postgame footage on X, formerly Twitter, in which Towns addressed his limited involvement late in the game following the loss.

“The opportunity just didn’t come around to shoot it. At the end of the day, I trust everyone in this locker room to shoot the ball. The opportunity wasn’t available for me in the 4th and it’s fine.”

Karl-Anthony Towns on not taking many shots in the 4th quarter of Game 2:

"The opportunity just didn't come around to shoot it. At the end of the day, I trust everyone in this locker room to shoot the ball. The opportunity wasn't available for me in the 4th and it's fine" pic.twitter.com/RC4Dt6bG8n

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 21, 2026

Towns’ explanation reflects a team-first mindset but also highlights potential concerns with offensive flow. The Knicks relied heavily on perimeter creation, which limited touches for their star big man during key moments.

As the series shifts to Atlanta for Game 3 Thursday night, New York is in dire need of a swift response.

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