New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reflected on Atlanta’s dominance after Friday’s 111-99 loss at Madison Square Garden. “You got to give them a lot of credit. They came in and they’re very physical with us and took us out of what we tried to do offensively,” Brown said.
The coach identified paint protection as a major issue. “We didn’t do a great job of keeping the ball out of the paint. They might have had 32 points in the paint in the first half… ended the game with 58,” he explained.
Brown also noted transition defense as a weak point. “They scored 41 fast break points against us… we didn’t do a good job with it,” he added, referencing Atlanta’s efficiency in the open court.
Despite the loss, Brown praised a late defensive push. “We kept them out of the paint by being physical and sliding our feet and playing with our chest… got back in transition and it gave us a little bit of light in the fourth quarter,” he said.
Offensively, the Knicks struggled to execute their staples. “We were pretty stagnant, which plays to their strength because they have really good individual defenders… we didn’t do a good job offensively with our staples,” Brown admitted.
He also addressed external factors and player availability. “It doesn’t matter how many guys are in uniform… offensively we were stagnant. KAT had stomach issues, Mitch was out, Ariel Hukporti stepped up with 17 rebounds,” he said.
Brown defended the team’s three-point shooting struggles. “It was a combination of both. We had some good looks, but you can’t take away from what Atlanta did. They’re long, strong, athletic, and played hard tonight,” he explained.
The coach responded humorously to the Madison Square Garden boos. “I was booing myself inside. They have a right to boo me and everybody else if we’re playing the way we’re playing,” he said.
Brown also described his in-game adjustments. “I kept searching for a group that could see if we could get something done offensively… we found one late and gave up two quick threes that sealed the deal,” he said.
The Knicks were paced by Jalen Brunson’s 24 points and OG Anunoby’s 19 points with 10 rebounds, but the team fell short despite Ariel Hukporti’s career-high 17 rebounds. Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 23 points and Onyeka Okongwu contributed 22.
New York will host Philadelphia later Saturday, seeking to correct defensive lapses and improve transition coverage after being held under 100 points for the first time this season.
