New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown praised his team’s defensive execution after Friday’s 146-112 win over the Utah Jazz at Madison Square Garden.
“Defensively, especially to start the game, we were really good with our shifts, protecting the paint and contesting shots,” Brown said.
The Knicks opened with a 23-0 run, holding Utah scoreless for more than six minutes, the largest opening run in the NBA since play-by-play tracking began in 1997. Brown credited the team’s rotations and teamwork in the paint. “It’s five guys guarding the basketball…we rotated the right way, contested shots, and boxed out,” he explained.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 33 points, including the 3-pointer that capped the opening run. Miles McBride added 22 points, shooting 7-of-10 from beyond the arc, while Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 18 points and nine rebounds. Brown noted, “KAT moves his feet, uses his length, and has a smart feel for the game, which helps our paint defense a ton.”
OG Anunoby returned from a nine-game absence with 11 points in 22 minutes. “We needed to get OG some game minutes to work on his conditioning…he looked good for the time he was out there,” Brown said. He also lauded the contributions of the second unit in the fourth quarter. “Everybody was good, especially with Tyler, Mo, and Yabu…they played the right way on both ends and made my decisions hard,” he added.
Brown highlighted Deuce McBride’s defensive impact in pick-and-roll situations. “Deuce has been phenomenal at one-two into the ball and wearing over screens…he earned defensive player of the game tonight,” Brown said.
The Knicks shot 56% from the field, 50% from three, and 88% from the free-throw line, maintaining a balanced attack that included Josh Hart (8 points) and Mikal Bridges (10). Utah struggled to keep pace, with Jordan Clarkson scoring 16, while Lauri Markkanen and Keyonte George had 18 points each.
New York improved to 20-4, maintaining momentum with their highest-scoring game of the season, while Utah fell to 8-14. The Knicks will host Orlando on Sunday, and the Jazz return home to face Oklahoma City in search of a rebound.
