Like match 3 of Karl -Anthony Towns – a gift to her late mother

Indianapolis – Behind the right ear of the cities of Karl -Anthony is a tattoo. He must fold his ear to reveal the ink.

It reads “4: / 13”. He has a double sense. The first is an ode to his favorite biblical verse, Philippians 4:13, which reads as follows: “I can do everything through Christ which strengthens me.” The second meaning goes even further. Five years ago, the mother of cities, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, died during the pandemic. A young man was abruptly without his mother, his protector. Towns lost his mother on April 13, 2020. 04/13/13.

“4: / 13”, a collision of two spirits.

We often remember his mother on Sunday. It was not only another big game he played without her there, seated behind the bench of her team as she always did-and if she was not in her normal place, the cities would find her quickly because her mother’s voice always protruded above the noisiest crowds, her noisy encouragement finding her ears like the moon always finds the night. Match 3 of Sunday of the final of the Eastern Conference landed the Dominican Mother’s Day. The mother of the cities was Dominican. He proudly supports his nationality, even by playing for the country’s national basketball team.

The excitement of cities to join the New York Knicks during the offseason in an exchange of Minnesota Timberwolves was based on his education. His mother was an unconditional fan of the Knicks. The family grew up in New Jersey, not too far from Madison Square Garden. Towns is proud to be a trinket because the roots of his mother mean so much for him.

This is why Sunday was so special. Towns did not only save the New York season when it rained 3 from everywhere in Indianapolis during a fourth quarter of 20 points, helping the Knicks to beat the Pacers of Indiana and to refine the final of the Eastern Conference to a deficit of 2-1. Each time was another gift to his mother.

“The side of my mother of the family struck me and told me that they were going to watch the match with my aunts,” said Towns, who also plays with a bracelet that has “4/13” sewn. “It simply meant that I was able to play one day as today. Obviously, I did not know that my mother was expecting a match like tonight, but I’m just happy that this team was able to get a victory on the day.”

For much of the night, it did not seem that the Knicks would get this victory. New York was down 20 points to the Pacers. And even when the deficit was not so high, the Knicks were down to two figures for most of the night. New York was sloppy. He looked like a team ready to put his toes in the sand. Even the cities were nowhere in the first half. He only played 13 minutes. He couldn’t stop gusling. Towns had four points at halftime while his team faced a 13-point deficit.

The third quarter of cities was not better. He had more mistakes (one) than points (zero). The cities took a hit in eight minutes. However, the Knicks found themselves only by 10 when the fourth quarter began, thanks in large part to the will of the coach Tom Thibodeau to try anything to save the season, including relying on a program that included Landry Shamet and Delon Wright, two players who have barely played this eliminatory series. Their efforts, as well as the shot of Miles McBride and Josh Hart doing things Josh Hart, gave New York a chance. It was then that Towns decided to participate in the cat.

The cities reached 3 after 3 in the fourth. One while falling. He went ahead of Myles Turner and Tony Bradley from Indiana and finished at the edge of a foot. He finished by falling and kissing the glass balloon with precision.

Towns entered the fourth quarter with four points and seven rebounds. He left the arena with 24 points, 15 rebounds and a saving season.

“I think that after the ET-1 and he started to point his finger, it was when I knew he had started,” said McBride about the cities. “Honestly, he’s a special player. He did what he had to do tonight.”

This performance occurred on a loss of match 2 in which cities barely played in the fourth quarter. Towns only recorded 28 minutes in this match when New York was better when Mitchell Robinson was on the ground. It was equal for the least that all-NBA talent played in a match since December.

“Everyone has different strengths and weaknesses,” said Thibodeau. “We are always talking about playing intelligently, and when you play intelligently, you play your strengths and covering your weaknesses. You can’t go here without being a great player. So, whatever you do well, that’s what we want you to lock yourself in.

“Kat, as we know, is a very gifted marker. He can score at three different levels. He is comfortable on the 3 -point line, at ease to put the ball on the ground and at ease to play with your back in the basket. So, as long as it remains aggressive, it’s a huge plus for us.”

Towns has been forced to chew in the last 48 hours.

“My teammates put me in superb places to succeed, and I just wanted to capitalize on the opportunity,” said Towns. “We all do everything we needed and we put in a position to resume the game and put ourselves in position at the end of the game to have a chance to win.

“I saw the opportunity to use what was ours. The game did not suit me or all.

New York needed cities to introduce itself. He did it. Cities needed a scene. He has one. Wedding maintained the Knicks season alive.

It’s bigger than that, however. The cities were able to celebrate his mother. He was able to scream his family and her inheritance with a smile on his face and a victory in his rear pocket, while the whole world looked.

It was the right thing, which you can’t script. This is why we romanianize sport so much.

For some, this round and orange ball means a little more than the eye meets.

(Top Photo: Rick Osentoski / Imagn Images)