Knicks head coach Mike Brown credited Minnesota for their physicality in Tuesday’s 115-104 loss at Target Center. “Give Minnesota credit. They were extremely physical tonight with us… they were the root of our 19 turnovers,” he said, emphasizing how those mistakes led to 35 fast-break points.
Brown acknowledged the team’s effort despite missing key players. “We did fight in spurts. We’re all competitive and we know we could have done a better job and we didn’t. Give Minnesota credit and we learn from this and move forward,” he said, noting the challenges of being shorthanded.
The coach addressed the impact of unconventional rotations. “It could be… our young guys they got to be ready. That’s what this league’s about. Next man’s got to step up,” he said, referencing combinations including Diawara, Hukporti, and Kolek alongside Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart.
Brown praised Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert’s performances. “KAT obviously… he had 40 tonight. He’s more than capable. We expect more from him so he can be out on that floor,” he said, referring to Karl-Anthony Towns’ season-high 40 points and 13 rebounds. On Tyler Kolek, Brown added, “To get 11 rebounds at his size was fantastic too in 31 minutes. We need more from him, probably more so defensively than offensively.”
He also discussed New York’s defensive approach against Julius Randle. “He was just aggressive. We started blitzing Edwards and they basically just gave him the ball. He used his footwork, power, strength, and quickness to finish at the rim and get to the free throw line,” Brown said, reflecting on Randle’s 25-point fourth-quarter surge.
The coach explained the decision to implement a zone in the second quarter. “We weren’t getting many stops. Ant was playing at a high level and we wanted to give him a different look,” he said, highlighting tactical adjustments.
Brown addressed players’ mental approach to officiating and physicality. “The officials, they’re human… we as a team start with me. We’ve got to try to leave the referees alone because we’re good enough to still go win games,” he said, noting the importance of discipline despite frustration over fouls.
Minnesota improved to 20-10, led by Edwards’ 38 points and Gobert’s 16 rebounds, while the Knicks fell to 20-9. Despite Towns’ standout performance and Kolek’s double-double, New York’s turnovers and defensive lapses proved decisive against the Wolves’ physical play.
