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Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combined for 56 points to lead the New York Knicks past the Indiana Pacers 111-94 on Thursday, extending their postseason run despite facing a 3-1 series deficit. Powered by the home crowd at Madison Square Garden, New York came out energized and delivered under pressure.
Towns, who had been listed as questionable before tipoff due to an injury concern, came through with a strong showing and received high praise from the TNT panel — though Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley couldn’t help but crack a few jokes about his feet.
Chuck 💀 pic.twitter.com/TCN1uVI8nb
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 30, 2025
Ernie Johnson welcomed the Knicks big man who tallied 24 points and 13 rebounds. “And look who’s sitting down next to you, Chuckster.” Without hesitation, Shaquille O’Neal broke into a song: “With his toes out. Karl-Anthony Towns. With his toes out. Karl-Anthony Towns.”
Towns had shown up for his post-game interview wearing open-toe sliders, prompting the lighthearted jab. Given how infamous Shaq’s own feet are — even after reportedly spending over $1,000 on pedicures — Towns didn’t hold back. He laughed it off but took a playful shot back at the Lakers icon with a comment of his own about the state of their toes.
“My toes are better than yours, Shaq,” said the Knicks big man. Shaquille O’Neal, caught off guard but amused, couldn’t argue. “They are,” he admitted with a laugh.
Charles Barkley didn’t hold back with his praise, taking it a step further by declaring, “You’re the only basketball player I know that’s got good looking feet.”
Karl-Anthony Towns leads the Knicks in Game 5
When asked about his injury, the 29-year-old brushed it off and kept his focus on the mission ahead. “It doesn’t matter, get the job done,” he said.
The Knicks dominated the paint with a 60-34 edge in points, thanks largely to Towns, who did most of his work around the rim. Although he missed three of his four shots from beyond the arc, he still went 10-for-20 from the field and converted a pair of and-ones in the second quarter.
Towns was a game-time decision because of a sore left knee, but he suited up and delivered. The mission in Game 5 was accomplished. While Jalen Brunson led the way with 32 points, it was Towns’ impact in the paint that set the tone. With that performance, the two joined a rare group in the history books, earning comparisons to Shaquille O’Neal and his former running mate, Kobe Bryant.
Thanks to their consistent scoring, Brunson and Towns became the first duo since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in 2002 to each score 20 or more points in the first five games of a conference finals. It’s rare air for the Knicks stars, joining one of the most dominant pairings in NBA playoff history.
Towns and his now-famous feet will return to the court in Indiana for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday, aiming to help the Knicks even the series at 3-3 and force a winner-take-all Game 7 back at Madison Square Garden.
