Karl-Anthony Towns is proud of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals with the New York Knicks last season - "It was lit"

Karl-Anthony Towns is proud of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals with the New York Knicks last season – “It was lit” originally appeared on Basketball Network.

New York Knicks fans are notoriously hard to please. Even though they’re rabidly loyal to the team, they’re blunt fans who won’t hesitate to call a spade a spade. If a Knicks player is doing well, they’ll be the first to sing their praises. But if that same player starts slacking off, let’s just say things can get ugly.

So, when versatile big man Karl-Anthony Towns witnessed the city come alive during their postseason success, especially against their longtime rivals, the Boston Celtics, he couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of pride in what the team achieved last season.

The Garden was popping

Madison Square Garden doesn’t have the bells and whistles that arenas like the Chase Center and Intuit Dome have. However, it has an organic atmosphere that can’t be replicated. The cheers and jeers of the crowd are genuine, not manufactured noise pumped through speakers.

In this year’s NBA Playoffs, KAT hinted at the magic he felt at MSG. With every made shot or completed defensive stop, the crowd roared with such fervor that it felt like the arena walls were alive. It was the kind of vibe that gave players an extra boost and made opponents think twice about stepping onto their court.

“So it was like seeing you in the Garden,” KAT said in a talk with Knicks icon Carmelo Anthony. “Seeing the magical moments you made and everything, and kind of being able to make my own history there. It’s special.”

KAT is no stranger to playoff basketball, having led the Minnesota Timberwolves to four appearances, including the Western Conference Finals in 2024. However, what he experienced playing for the Knicks this year was unlike any other.

“You never know that in five months you would get in the conference finals, something that hasn’t been done in 25 years,” he remarked. “But to be in that position, to be seeing the city that live — I mean, they was lit, I ain’t going to lie to you.”

Vanquishing Boston was special

The Celtics have been a thorn in the Knicks’ side since time immemorial. This season was no different as the erstwhile champs posed a difficult challenge for the Knicks in the Eastern semis. However, the Knicks’ confidence soared to new heights when they pulled off back-to-back 20-point comebacks in the series’ first two games.

Although the Cs made the series close with a dominant win in Game 5, the Knicks finished their foes off with a 38-point beatdown in Game 6 to earn a ticket to the East finals — something the franchise had yet to do since the 1999-00 season. KAT said the energy in MSG and the City That Never Sleeps was indescribable after that victory.

“To see them after that Boston Celtics series, that was pretty special,” Towns disclosed. “It was cool. It was something special. It was something that I, you know, you watch it on TV, watching you play, and to be part of that history is something…”

To many, playing for the Knicks is daunting. With the intense scrutiny and attention from the media and the fans, players can easily get off track and lose sight of the ultimate goal – winning a championship. However, for KAT, the electric atmosphere at MSG and the passion of New York fans were exactly what fueled him during that epic playoff run.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared.

Karl-Anthony Towns is proud of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals with the New York Knicks last season – “It was lit”

Tags: