Getty

Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns

The New York Knicks were one quarter away from going up 2-0 on the Atlanta Hawks. They had a 12-point lead heading into the fourth, and then everything fell apart. Now, one player’s celebration is getting a lot of hate.

The criticism came from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, shared from First Take on X. Smith went off on Karl-Anthony Towns for blowing kisses after hitting a three-pointer, calling it completely out of place given what was happening in the game.

“Got a 12-point lead entering the fourth quarter. What the hell happened with that? You got these Kat’s blowing kisses when you hit a three-point shot. I understand that’s what Jalen Brunson does after every shot, but Kat and blowing it all of this like you blow like, like, like, you know, you got a hot dog. You gotta blow and you gotta blow it up. What the hell are you doing?”

Why Karl-Anthony Towns Celebrating Hurt More Than It Should Have

Towns​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌ had put up 25 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and three blocks in Game 1, so coming into Game 2, the expectations were pretty high.

However, in game 2 in the fourth quarter, the Hawks outscored the Knicks 28-15, with CJ McCollum scoring 32 points and making the lead-changing shot with 34 seconds remaining.

Such a downfall hurts even more when your second-best player is blowing kisses as he walks back on the court. The ability is definitely there, but at a time when the Knicks needed to be totally focused, the celebration seemed completely out of touch.

Smith’s remark about Jalen Brunson’s post-shot celebration is quite apt. Brunson does it as well, but he is the driving force of this team. Towns is still demonstrating his capabilities in big moments, and the expectation is different, whether it’s fair or ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌not.

What the Knicks Need to Fix Before Game 3

Getty Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks

Smith had one more thing to say, and it was a warning above all else.

“They have to win game three. I don’t like the idea of the New York Knicks in Atlanta because let me tell you something about Atlanta. I’ve always felt like their fan base wasn’t that great in years past. I think it’s vastly improved.”

First, the celebration was a problem; then the bench turned out to be problem two. When McBride, Shamet and Alvarado went 0-for-7 from the field together at a time when Brunson and Towns were both on the bench, the Hawks took advantage of that stretch and managed to come all the way back.

Knicks and Hawks have split the first two games, so now game 3 is in Atlanta. The Knicks are one of the teams that have not handled road pressure well, and at halftime, the Hawks have their crowd all fired up.

Towns should keep being his usual expressive self; however, at this moment, what the Knicks require from him is to be so focused that every second he is on the floor is locked in. A celebration that large, when the game is that close, makes one wonder where his head is really ​‍​‌‍​‍‌​‍​‌‍​‍‌at.