The New York Knicks' season is on the verge of coming to an end as the Indiana Pacers, courtesy of a 130-121 win in Game 4 on Tuesday night, take a 3-1 lead in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals. All night long, the Knicks simply weren't able to match the Pacers' energy. To make matters worse, it looks as though Karl-Anthony Towns will surely be less than 100 percent heading into Game 5 after being on the receiving end of a hard hit to the knee/lower thigh area towards the end of Game 4.

With the Pacers leading by seven, 121-114, with a little over two minutes remaining, Aaron Nesmith looked to attack the basket. It then looked as though Towns was pushed towards Nesmith by Myles Turner, and to add further insult to injury, it was the Knicks star that was whistled for a foul. New York then decided to challenge the call but failed to get it overturned.

The collision between the two looked nasty from Towns' perspective, and it forced him to immediately crumple to the ground, clutch onto his knee/upper thigh, and writhe in pain. The Knicks star, however, was able to power through and play until the final buzzer, but it was ever so apparent that he was limping and that he will be requiring some medical attention following the game.

This is the last thing the Knicks need especially now that they're on the brink of elimination. They will need all hands on deck, but it looks like one of their best players will not be at his best come Thursday night. If there's a silver lining to this, it's that Mitchell Robinson will be playing more minutes and the Knicks' defense will be more resolute during those minutes. Separating Towns' minutes from that of Jalen Brunson's could also make New York more stout on the defensive end.

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Karl-Anthony Towns was the only Knicks starter with positive plus/minus

Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) runs up court
© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

For all the flak Karl-Anthony Towns gets for his average to below average defense at the center position, his three-level scoring prowess makes him one of the most unguardable players in the league. And in Game 4, he was part of Knicks units that pulled them closer to the Pacers, as he ended up being just the only starter for New York with a positive plus/minus (+3 in 37 minutes).

Towns is at his best when he leverages his three-point marksmanship to knife his way into the lane, and him having a leg injury is a concern as it will hamper his mobility on both ends of the floor.