Tom Thibodeau on benching Karl-Anthony Towns: ‘The group that was in there gave us a chance’

And yet, there was Towns, a five-time All-Star (including this season), subbing out with nine minutes left and the Knicks trailing by 9 to the Pacers. He did not return until there was 2:25 to go and New York was still down 9. Reserve center Mitchell Robinson, a defensive stud who, we can say, has offensive issues, was on the court in Towns’ place. The Knicks made it close — very close — in those final 145 seconds with Towns back on the floor, but still lost 114-109 and trail the Pacers 2-0 in the Eastern Conference finals. “Just, we got in a hole, and then the group that was in there gave us a chance,” Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said when asked to explain his decision to sit Towns for much of the fourth quarter. “So we were just riding (that lineup). We’re searching for a win.”