Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t score much in the New York Knicks’ title-clinching win. But his postgame plans have everyone talking — especially one name he dropped.
After the Knicks ended their 53-year championship drought with a Game 5 victory over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday, Towns, who finished with just two points while battling foul trouble, made it clear where the Larry O’Brien Trophy is headed this summer.
“Hell yeah, I’m bringing the trophy over there. We’re taking it all over,” Towns said, according to New York Basketball on X. “Yessir. Gonna bring it to Santiago, Santo Domingo, Casa de Campo, La Romana… shoutout Al Horford.”
That last part stood out. Horford, who grew up in the Dominican Republic and won his own NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2024, is a hero back home. For Towns — who also has Dominican roots — to name-check Horford while mapping out a victory tour showed a real sense of basketball brotherhood.
Horford responded on X shortly after: “Congrats to Karl and the Knicks. Played your best basketball at the end of the year.”
The Knicks didn’t make it look easy. They trailed 2-1 in their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks before flipping a switch and going 15-1 the rest of the postseason. That included a tight Finals series where Towns sacrificed his scoring for other roles.
He became the Knicks’ de facto playmaking hub in the half-court, finding cutters and shooters off screens in ways that don’t always show up in the box score. His defense on Spurs rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama also drew praise — Towns used his strength to push the 7’4” center off his spots and forced him into tough looks.
It wasn’t the flashy Finals performance most stars dream of, but Towns earned his place as the second-best player on a championship team. Now he gets to take the trophy where it means something personal.
The Knicks’ victory parade is scheduled for Thursday. After that, the real tour begins.
Leave a Comment