New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown lauded his team’s depth after a narrow 128-125 victory at State Farm Arena. “I thought our young guys stepped up…Mo hadn’t played a lot of minutes this year, but he ended up playing a little over 16 tonight and I thought he was really good in those 16 minutes,” Brown said.
Brown highlighted Kevin McCullar Jr.’s defensive impact on Trae Young. “He had to guard Trey for a while…just a heck of a job by him. He was our defensive player of the game,” he said, noting McCullar’s effective verticality on key plays.
Jalen Brunson’s offensive output also drew praise. “Jalen 34 points…OG was decisive tonight. When he got the ball, he shot it or snap drove and he made plays,” Brown said, emphasizing Anunoby’s late-game steal and clutch free throws that sealed the win.
The Knicks dominated the boards, and Brown credited his frontcourt. “23 second chance points…KAT and Mitch and Kevin were a monster as well as OG on the offensive glass. 19 offensive rebounds, 23 second chance points. We needed every single one of those points tonight,” he said. Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 36 points and 16 rebounds, converting 17 of 18 free throws.
Brown admitted transition defense remains an area for improvement. “We did not do a good job in transition and we kept sending them to the free throw line…we know we need to defend better,” he explained. He also emphasized the team’s adjustments in the first quarter. “Coming out in the first quarter and trying to put our imprint on the game defensively…we did a decent job, but we kept letting our foot off the gas,” he added.
Anunoby’s clutch performance earned recognition. “OG is an all-star…at his size, his length, his strength, his athleticism, he can do so much out there. He just has to impose his will on the game every single play,” Brown said, highlighting the forward’s late-game contributions.
Brown discussed his strategy for giving players opportunities. “I threw Kevin out there for a few minutes to see what happens…he definitely earned those minutes as the game went along,” he said. He also noted the importance of keeping the team aligned during early-game stretches. “Sometimes we’ll have a middle lapse here or there, and it’s just my job to remind them,” he said.
The coach praised Towns’ aggressiveness in pick-and-roll situations. “When he rolls, we’re a different team…he’s getting fouled or he’s scoring because his momentum is going that way and he’s so quick. He did a great job rolling tonight, but our guards did a great job of getting him the ball in the pocket,” Brown said.
With the win, New York improved to 22-9, extending their strong run to nine wins in the last 11 games, while Atlanta fell to 15-18.
