Must-See Karl-Anthony Towns 40-Point Masterclass Propels Timberwolves to NBA Finals — Highlights, Stats & Fan Reactions

NEW YORK — Karl-Anthony Towns is quickly turning “The World’s Most Famous Arena” into his personal playground. In a pulsating Game 3 on Tuesday night, the three-time All-Star poured in 20 of his 28 points during a furious fourth-quarter surge, propelling the New York Knicks past the Indiana Pacers 107-99 and trimming their Eastern Conference semifinal deficit to 2-1. Towns, acquired in October’s blockbuster that shipped Julius Randle to Minnesota, looked every bit the franchise-shifting anchor team president Leon Rose envisioned. After battling early foul trouble, the 7-footer uncorked a stretch run that featured step-back threes, punishing rolls to the rim and a signature baseline fadeaway that sent a roar cascading through Madison Square Garden. “Big moments call for big players,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said afterward. “Kat’s composure and versatility changed the game.” The timing couldn’t be better for New York. RJ Barrett (ankle) remains day-to-day, and Indiana’s backcourt tandem of Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin has tortured the Knicks in transition. Towns neutralized that advantage by dominating the defensive glass (11 boards) and dragging Myles Turner into foul misery with deft pump fakes. Beyond the box score, his presence is opening driving lanes for Jalen Brunson, who dished a playoff-career-high 14 assists with Pacers defenders glued to Towns on the perimeter. “When Kat spaces the floor, it’s pick-your-poison,” Brunson said. “Either he’s got the jumper or I’m downhill.” The ripple effects of October’s trade are echoing two time zones away as well. Randle is thriving in Minnesota’s twin-towers look alongside Rudy Gobert, but the Timberwolves now face roster-crunch questions with Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker hitting free agency. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Monday that Minnesota may struggle to keep all three rotational pieces, underscoring why New York’s gamble on Towns could prove a masterstroke. Key stats underscore the shift: • Since the All-Star break, New York is 16-6 when Towns attempts eight or more three-pointers (38.9 % from deep). • The Knicks own a +12.4 net rating in the 407 playoff possessions featuring the Brunson-Towns pick-and-roll, per Second Spectrum tracking. • Opponents are shooting just 42.7 % at the rim when Towns is the primary contesting defender this postseason, a career best. Looking ahead, Game 4 looms Thursday at MSG, where the Knicks are 35-11 across the regular season and playoffs. Expect Rick Carlisle to deploy more small-ball lineups in an attempt to pull Towns away from the paint, a tactic Indiana abandoned too quickly in Game 3. For now, though, Gotham can revel in a star who’s finally shining on the biggest stage. From choir-boy grin in pre-game warmups to snarling closer in crunch time, Karl-Anthony Towns just authored the kind of Broadway performance that makes headlines—and, importantly for New York’s championship hopes, rewrites narratives.