New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns credited his late mother, Jacqueline Cruz-Towns, for a sense of calm during Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
Towns said he felt a peace that he believes came from his mother, who died of COVID-19 complications in 2020. Despite the stakes, he described feeling like a kid playing Saturday AAU games, seeing her in the stands.
Towns finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and one block in the 105-95 victory. The Knicks erased a 14-point deficit in the third quarter to secure the win.
New York now leads the series 1-0, with Game 2 scheduled for Friday night in San Antonio.