Karl-Anthony Towns delivered on both ends of the floor Friday night as the New York Knicks edged the San Antonio Spurs 105-104 to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals. But it was an emotional postgame moment involving his late mother that resonated long after the final buzzer.Towns finished with 21 points and 13 rebounds while helping limit San Antonio star Victor Wembanyama's impact for much of the game. The Knicks survived a furious Spurs comeback after San Antonio erased a 14-point deficit with a 14-0 run in the fourth quarter. Wembanyama scored 22 of his 29 points in the second half and briefly gave the Spurs a 104-102 lead with 57.3 seconds remaining.However, Jalen Brunson tied the game before converting the go-ahead free throw after a Wembanyama turnover. The Spurs had one final opportunity, but Wembanyama missed a potential game-winning jumper with two seconds left, allowing New York to secure its 13th straight playoff victory and move within two wins of its first NBA title since 1973.Speaking during a postgame mid-court interview, Towns opened up about a deeply personal moment that unfolded just before San Antonio's final possession. On being asked by a reporter why he looked toward the sky moments before the decisive play, the Knicks center paid tribute to his late mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns."If you lose a parent...you just look for signs and I'll take any sign I could get and I prayed to her strong before that possession…I take it as a sign my mom was there with me so I appreciate her so much." Jacqueline Cruz-Towns died in April 2020 from complications related to COVID-19. She was 58. At the time, Towns' father, Karl Towns, was also hospitalized with the virus but survived.— TheHoopCentral (@TheHoopCentral) The emotional moment continued after the interview, when Karl-Anthony Towns shared a long embrace with his father on the court. Earlier in the night, Towns had outplayed Wembanyama in the Knicks' dramatic victory, but his heartfelt remembrance of his mother became one of the defining moments of New York's Game 2 triumph.The Knicks now head to Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 with a 2-0 series lead. No team has ever won an NBA championship after losing the first two Finals games at home.
'If you lose a parent, you...': How Karl-Anthony Towns remembered his late mother after New York Knicks edged past the San Antonio Spurs for 2-0 NBA Finals lead? Watch viral video
New York Knicks took a 2-0 lead against San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals. Karl-Anthony Towns played a key role in the victory. After the game, Towns shared an emotional moment remembering his late mother. He looked to the sky for signs and prayed to her before the final play.
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