Former NBA guard celebrates Karl-Anthony Towns as the best player of the 2026 NBA Finals

finals/64e5566e09acb11bafe240de?utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=appeared_on">Former NBA guard celebrates Karl-Anthony Towns as the best player of the 2026 NBA Finals originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and the New York Knicks have been quite competitive despite the latter having a clear 2-0 lead. It has been tough for both teams, but it seems the Knicks are still riding high on their momentum.

They have a 13-game winning streak at the moment, dating back to their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks. All of the players have been superb, but it seems Karl-Anthony Towns’ growth has been game-changing.

Darren Collison celebrates Karl-Anthony Towns being the Finals MVP favorite

Initially, most people saw Towns as he usually was in his career. He was a dominant offensive big man who could score from anywhere. That has always been the case, but that has changed with the evolution of his game in recent months.

The Knicks have been a team focused on maximizing Jalen Brunson for a long time now. However, they needed more dimensions to their system to get the most out of their results.

MORE: Victor Wembanyama reveals why Karl-Anthony Towns is becoming a nuisance for him

That is where Towns playing as an offensive hub comes in. As a connective passer, Towns knows how to get the most out of his teammates. It has worked because not only is he more efficient with his shots, but he is also playmaking.

It has paid off because the Knicks are now two wins away from their first championship in 50+ years. Former NBA point guard Darren Collison is so impressed with what he is seeing that he calls KAT the Finals MVP favorite.

“This six-time All-Star is tired of hearing all the Wemby talk, by the way. You can probably make the case that he’s probably been the best player in this series as well. It’s his aggression offensively and defensively,” Collison said on SportsCenter about Towns’ performance in the Finals.

That is a big statement from Collison, but it seems Towns is living up to the hype. The Spurs will need to find solutions for Towns as they look to come back from a 2-0 deficit and win this series.

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