Mike Brown highlighted the New York Knicks’ resilience after Monday night’s 130-125 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. “We came out, you got to give them a lot of credit… Saddiq Bey had 26 in the first half, and Zion was a load for us,” Brown said, emphasizing the challenge faced early in the game.
The head coach credited his team for adjusting defensively in the second half. “We did a better job on Saddiq… he had zero points in the second half. Zion kept them in the game, and Jordan Poole kept them in the game, but our guys found a way,” Brown explained, noting that New York held the Pelicans to 50 second-half points.
Brown praised the balanced contributions across the roster. “I played 12 guys and every person that I called, they came in and contributed in some way, shape, or form… 35 assists, Mikal with 10 and Jalen with 10. It’s a phenomenal game from those two guys,” he said, highlighting the playmaking of Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson.
Mohamed Diawara’s breakout performance earned recognition from Brown. “Mo kept us in the game early on offensively… the more he’s out on the floor, the more he’s getting comfortable,” he noted, celebrating Diawara’s career-high 18 points.
Brown also singled out OG Anunoby for his impact on both ends of the floor. “He was huge offensively, huge on the glass, but just as importantly, he was our defensive player of the game… if you’re closing out to him, to me, it’s a wrap,” Brown said.
The coach discussed the team’s confidence in close contests. “We’re really comfortable… you play 12 guys and guys just keep plugging away. That shows the competitive spirit, but more importantly, it’s the belief in the process,” Brown said, praising the squad’s cohesion and accountability.
Jalen Brunson’s clutch play in the final minutes was pivotal. “You got to have a guy, and we have a guy… he definitely makes the game easier for everybody,” Brown added, referencing Brunson’s 28 points and 10 assists, including decisive scores in the final 1:06.
Addressing recent inconsistencies, Brown emphasized learning from each contest. “We showed film yesterday… it’s hard because we don’t have a lot of practice time… our guys responded the right way in the second half and found a way to get a win,” he said, underscoring the team’s ability to adjust on the fly.
The Knicks improved to 23-9, extending their winning streak to three games, while the Pelicans fell to 8-26. Karl-Anthony Towns added a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds, while Zion Williamson led New Orleans with 32 points, but the team could not overcome New York’s balanced attack.
New York will host the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, with Brown confident that his team’s depth and defensive focus will remain key in upcoming matchups.
