Karl-Anthony Towns' Heartfelt Message on Late Mother After Knicks' Game 2 Win
Karl-Anthony Towns and the New York Knicks have not lost a game in 43 days and now hold a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals after edging the San Antonio Spurs 105-104 in a thriller on Friday night at Frost Bank Center.
After recording 18 points and 12 rebounds in the series opener, Towns once again delivered a strong performance, finishing with 21 points, 13 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block while shooting 8-of-12 from the field and 3-of-5 from beyond the arc.
San Antonio dominated the opening quarter, but the Knicks controlled much of the game until the final five minutes. Spurs superstar Victor Wembanyama led a furious comeback to tie the score and had a prime opportunity to win the game with a three-pointer in the closing seconds.
Fortunately for New York, the shot did not fall, and the Knicks escaped with a close victory. After the game, Towns credited his late mother for helping him stay composed during the final possession.
"If you lose a parent, you just look for signs, and I'll take any sign I can get. I prayed to her hard before that possession," Towns said postgame. "A great player got a great shot, and it just didn't go in. It's great defense, shout out to my team. But, you know, I take it as a sign my mom was here with me, so I appreciate her so much."
THE FINAL 77 SECONDS OF GAME 2 WAS MADNESS
— NBA (@NBA) June 6, 2026
WATCH THE FULL SEQUENCE UNCUT pic.twitter.com/zgcPxnE0V4
Towns was especially impressive in the first half, scoring 17 of his team-high 21 points over the opening two quarters. While he was limited by foul trouble later in the game and Jalen Brunson struggled with his shot, Mikal Bridges stepped up with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range.
Brunson endured a difficult shooting night, going 7-of-25 from the field and 2-of-8 from beyond the arc. However, he delivered when it mattered most, scoring five points in the final two minutes and coming up with a key defensive stop on Wembanyama. He finished with 20 points, six assists, and five rebounds.
Meanwhile, it was a heartbreaking finish for the Spurs, who came up just short despite another outstanding performance from Wembanyama. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year finished with a game-high 29 points, nine rebounds, two assists, and four blocks, while De'Aaron Fox added 20 points.
San Antonio now faces an uphill battle to get back into the series, with no team in NBA Finals history having come back to win the championship after losing the first two games at home. However, the Spurs will keep believing as long as Wembanyama is on the floor as they prepare for Game 3 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
Related: Karl-Anthony Towns Stands Up for Knicks Teammate Amid Criticism
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This story was originally published June 6, 2026 at 12:19 AM.