Game 4 of Knicks-Celtics isn’t just a matchup—it’s a momentum checkpoint. After a humbling Game 3 at home, New York finds itself suddenly playing defense in more ways than one. The Celtics, fresh off their sharpest performance of the postseason, are knocking on the door of a tied series. And for the Knicks, the question isn’t just about tactics or shooting splits. It’s about strategy. It’s about belief. And at the heart of it all stands Karl-Anthony Towns.

Injury report: Is Karl-Anthony Towns good to go?

Despite a concerning moment in Game 3 where Karl-Anthony Towns clutched his left hand and appeared to say, “I broke it,” the Knicks star is not listed on the injury report for Game 4. Towns played through the pain on Saturday, logging 36 minutes and notching a 21-point, 15-rebound double-double—a testament to his grit even on an off-shooting night (5-for-18).

Asked afterward about the injury, Towns refused to elaborate: “It is what it is. I just want to do whatever I can to be out there. I ain’t tripping.” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau doubled down on the playoff mindset: Nobody is 100 percent. This is what the playoffs demand.

As for the Celtics, sharpshooter Sam Hauser remains questionable with an ankle injury. He’s missed the last two games, and while his shooting is valuable off the bench, Boston showed in Game 3 that it can reload from deep without him. They hit a blistering 50% from three-point range, including 5 triples from the Sixth Man of the Year, Payton Pritchard. Hence, the Knicks would need a better strategy in terms of capitalizing on Sam Hauser’s absence.

Knicks must regain control before this series tips the other way

The Knicks entered Game 3 with a 2-0 cushion and the momentum of two improbable comebacks. But in Game 3, the Celtics didn’t just win—they asserted control. And this happened in Knicks’ home arena, which witnesses some of the most brutally supportive fans. Despite that, from the opening tip, Boston’s early offense was surgical, and their shot-making finally matched their shot quality. More troubling for New York, their defense failed to adjust.

The Celtics hit 12-of-19 wide-open threes in Game 3. This 63% clip left the Knicks chasing shadows. Add in 20 fast-break points and eight blocked shots, and the defending champs played with the sharpness of a team rediscovering its identity.

New York’s first-quarter struggles are now a trend. They’ve been outscored by 27 points across the opening frames of Games 2 and 3 combined. It’s not just that they’re starting slow—it’s that they’re starting disorganized. Jalen Brunson hasn’t been able to generate clean looks early, and Towns’ size advantage hasn’t translated into efficient paint scoring (Knicks shot just 50% in the paint Saturday, well below league average).

And while Towns’ availability is massive, his effectiveness matters more. The Celtics have hunted him in pick-and-rolls, especially with Jayson Tatum using Horford as the screener. On back-to-back possessions in the second quarter of Game 3, Boston manipulated Towns into indecision—once forcing a turnover, then draining a wide-open three. This chess match is where Towns needs to elevate.

There’s no questioning his effort or toughness. But if Towns can assert himself on both ends without overcompensating, the Knicks can stop this from becoming a Boston swing. Thibodeau’s squad still holds home-court. They still have a lead. But Monday night isn’t just about health or hustle.

It’s about precision, poise, and protecting the narrative. Because if the Celtics even this up, Game 5 in Boston won’t just feel like a coin toss—it will feel like the Knicks are fighting ghosts from playoff collapses past. And Karl-Anthony Towns, banged-up or not, will be right in the middle of that fight.