The New York Knicks wanted a giant recreation from Karl-Anthony Cities on Sunday, and that’s precisely what they received.
Cities posted 24 factors and 15 rebounds as his Knicks overtook the Indiana Pacers and scored their first win of the Jap Convention Finals.
In accordance with NBA.com/Stats, that implies that Cities is simply the fourth Knick to file 20+ factors and 15+ rebounds in a Convention Finals recreation.
He joins Dave DeBusschere, who did it 4 instances, and Patrick Ewing and Willis Reed, who each did it twice.
Karl-Anthony Cities tonight (24 PTS, 15 REB) turned the FOURTH Knick to file 20+ PTS and 15+ REB in a Convention Finals Recreation:
Becoming a member of…Dave DeBusschere (4x)Patrick Ewing & Willis Reed (2x every) pic.twitter.com/uED32DdRyV
— NBA.com/Stats (@nbastats) Might 26, 2025
Cities was implausible in the course of the recreation, and particularly within the fourth quarter.
Cities crushed it within the closing 12 minutes, incomes 20 factors and eight rebounds.
Nobody else on the courtroom even got here near Cities, who helped make victory potential for his Knicks.
Cities has been a blessing for the group all season lengthy.
When he was first traded to New York on the finish of final summer time, some folks weren’t positive how effectively he’d work beneath head coach Tom Thibodeau and in a lineup alongside Jalen Brunson and others.
However Cities immediately turned a vital a part of the Knicks and is now each a fan favourite and one of the crucial productive gamers.
He’s incomes his spot within the Knicks’ historical past, and their much-needed win on Sunday wouldn’t have been potential with out him.
Even probably the most vocal and resistant critics have warmed as much as Cities, and it’s clear that he can have loads of supporters amongst this fan base transferring ahead.
He could have made Knicks historical past, however Cities’ work is much from over, and he has to stick with it within the days forward.
They took house Recreation 3, however the Knicks must battle simply as exhausting in Recreation 4 in the event that they want to even the sequence.
NEXT: Stephon Marbury Reacts To Knicks’ Essential Win On Sunday