Karl-Anthony Towns felt like the New York Knicks got a blessing straight from the heavens on Friday after escaping Game 2 of the NBA Finals with a victory.
Towns was on the bench for the final possession as Victor Wembanyama had the ball in his hands with a chance to win the game for the San Antonio Spurs and tie the series at Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Calif. All Towns could do was pray, and he believed his late mother answered that prayer.
WEMBY HAD A CHANCE TO WIN IT WITH THIS SHOT 🤯😳 pic.twitter.com/doTSdRbX6h
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 6, 2026
“I needed a stop,” Towns told Lisa Salters during his postgame interview. “It’s amazing, as you go through life, if you lose a parent, if anyone’s listening, you just look for signs. I’ll take any sign I can get.
“I prayed to her strong before that possession. A great player got a great shot, and it just didn’t go in. It’s great defense, shoutout to Mitch, shoutout to our team. But I take it as a sign my mom was here with me, so I appreciate her so much.”
"I take it as a sign my mom was here with me." @KarlTowns on the emotional Knicks Game 2 win 💙🧡 pic.twitter.com/FRU8sR6ipk
— ESPN (@espn) June 6, 2026
Final possession aside, Towns did not leave the game up to the basketball gods. He had his fingerprints all over Game 2, finishing with a team-high 21 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. He also drained a trio of three-pointers, dished out 4 assists, and collected a steal and a block.
Towns’ mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, died in 2020 from complications resulting from her bout with the COVID-19 virus.
Towns similarly shouted out his mother after a dominant showing in Game 1. His Knicks are now two wins away from winning an NBA championship in her honor.
