The New York Knicks’ championship aspirations became a huge hit after losing Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Knicks will follow the Indiana Pacers 3-1 heading for Game 5 at Madison Square Garden on Thursday, May 29th.
They both seemed to have an impressive night despite the loss, as star players Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 and 24 points respectively.
But the town in particular is under scrutiny from one former NBA player who disappointed his team in Game 4.
Former second overall pick Jay Williams called Towns to “stoop” the Knicks in Game 4.
The 29-year-old’s impressive statistical line, 24 points, 12 rebounds and three assists overshadows the defensive performance decline.
The town has averaged 120.5 points per game as it has failed to cope with the fast pacer break so far in the series.
Williams explained: “When I look at Cat and Jalen Branson, I wonder if that’s a bit of a ‘fool money’. Obviously, I know what Cats can do offensively, but the question is where they were defensively.
“Last night they had 17 turnovers and 22 points in the Indy transition. When these possessions were passing, the Cats didn’t register on the screen multiple times how fast these breaks were, even defensively.
“People in the game were telling me in Game 4 that Dib’s can’t jog on defense. I went to see the tape. I sat for nearly two hours watching this tape over and over again last night.
“We know they play more time than many other starters, but in a game like this, your rotation is what it is. If you get tired, ask them to come out of the game. You’re hindering your team.”
Branson and the Towns shared similar comments about the Knicks’ shortcomings after a disappointing Game 4 defeat to the Pacers.
“There were no disciplinary actions tonight,” Branson said. “I wasn’t trained tonight. We just have to be smarter. I have to be smarter. It’s really that black and white.”
The town added: “We all need to get better for him and with him. We need to get better as a team. It’s a shame we couldn’t find a way to win tonight, but we’ve found a way to do that in all the other series.”
As Williams pointed out, the pair doesn’t have to offer more offensively. Instead, the difference is whether you can step up defensively in Game 5.