The New York Knicks couldn't protect their home court in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. The Knicks' 13-game postseason winning streak came to an end with a 115-111 defeat. After the contest, star big man Karl-Anthony Towns was asked about his thoughts on the frustration over the officiating as a reason for their loss.
A reporter told Towns that there was a massive discrepancy in free throws. The Knicks went 18-for-22, while the Spurs shot 25-for-32. The reporter did note that the differential in free-throw shooting was more noticeable in the second half.
San Antonio had 24 attempts in the final two quarters, while New York only shot 6-for-8. Towns, however, did not blame the officiating of the game. He acknowledged that the team's errors prevented them from winning.
"That ain't cost us the game. We turned the ball over. Didn't execute, didn't do what got us 13 straight wins in a row," Towns said. "That's how you lose a game."
The Knicks had 13 turnovers, and most of them came from their star, Jalen Brunson, who had five. Towns also did not have the best game, as he finished with only 11 points and eight rebounds on 4-for-10 shooting. KAT contributed a lot on the defensive end with three steals and two blocks, but that wasn't enough to fuel New York to a win.
Knicks Fans Delivered, the Team Didn't
Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Despite the tickets in Game 3 being ridiculously expensive, the fans still came out to show their support for the Knicks. Madison Square Garden was reportedly sold out, even though security was extremely tight due to the appearance of President Donald Trump.
However, the Knicks couldn't outperform the Spurs, and Towns knew that they disappointed the fans.
"Of course, our fans brought it," he said. "They always do. Of course, they lived up to the expectations and exceeded them. We didn't do our job to give them something to cheer for after the game."
With a 2-1 series lead, the Knicks will play Game 4 at home on Wednesday. They will still have the full support of the fans at MSG.
New York was on the good side of NBA history after their Game 2 win. No team has ever won after being down 2-0 in the Finals. After the Spurs got their first win, the Knicks want to avoid joining the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns. These are the teams that went 2-0 after the first two games of the Finals and lost.
