Karl-Anthony Towns Sends Focused Message Despite Knicks Playoff Momentum

The New York Knicks continued their impressive postseason run on Thursday night, notching their ninth consecutive playoff victory with a 109-93 final score over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

With a 2-0 series lead, the Knicks are two wins away from punching their ticket to the NBA Finals.

However, Karl-Anthony Towns is choosing not to look at it that way. The All-Star center sent a focused message during his postgame press conference on Thursday night.

“We don’t feel any closer than we did last game or any game. In our minds, it’s back to 0-0. We got to win the next game, it’s the most important game of the year,” Towns said.

“That’s how we treat it. We’re hungry for the opportunity to go out there and play basketball at the highest level,” he continued. “We also understand that you can never be satisfied in these positions in the playoffs. The mindset’s going to continue to be 0-0 every single time we step on that court.”

More Basketball:NBA Analyst Jay Williams Delivers Bold Take on Jalen Brunson

Towns recorded double-doubles in each of the Knicks’ opening two games at Madison Square Garden. He dropped 13 points and 13 rebounds in New York’s comeback victory in Game 1, and 19 points and 13 rebounds in Thursday night’s Game 2 victory.

More Basketball:Kendrick Perkins Makes Prediction for LeBron James' NBA Future

Game 3 will tipoff at 8 p.m. ET from Cleveland’s Rocket Arena on Saturday.

2026 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.

This story was originally published May 22, 2026 at 11:54 AM.