Karl-Anthony Towns injury: Knicks star questionable for Game 5 vs. Pacers after hurting knee in Game 4 loss

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns is listed as questionable for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Indiana Pacers due to a left knee contusion.

Towns appeared to injure the knee after colliding with Indiana’s Aaron Nesmith with 2:11 remaining in Game 4 on Tuesday night. The Knicks lost that game 130-121 to fall behind 3-1 in the series and now face elimination at home on Thursday. 

After the collision with Nesmith, Towns returned for the final two minutes of regulation but looked visibly hobbled. After the game, Towns deflected questions about his status and directed his focus to the result. 

“I’m only thinking about the loss, I’m not thinking about that right now,” Towns said.

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Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said Towns needed to be evaluated before he could answer any questions about his status. And as of Wednesday evening’s injury report, the Knicks are describing the injury as a “left knee contusion.”

“He was able to go back in, so that’s a good sign,” Thibodeau said Tuesday night. “We’ll see where he is after he gets evaluated.” 

Towns had a standout performance in New York’s Game 3 win as he scored 20 of his 24 total points in the fourth quarter to erase a 20-point deficit in a 106-100 victory. 

In Tuesday night’s loss, Towns finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds for his eighth game this postseason with at least 20 points and 12 rebounds. Only Willis Reed (13) and Patrick Ewing (10) have more games with that stat line in a single postseason in Knicks franchise history.