New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown pointed to resiliency and composure after his team defeated the Denver Nuggets 134-127 in double overtime Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden. The win extended New York’s streak to eight games and pushed the Knicks to 32-18.
“What a ball game,” Brown said postgame. “Man, our team just showed a lot of grit, a lot of fight in this win. Just a resilient win by our guys.”
Brown acknowledged that the box score suggested a different outcome against a Denver team that entered at 33-17. “We got beat in a few areas that, you know, when you look at the box score, you think you should lose, especially versus a good team,” he said. “But our guys just found a way.”
Ball security stood out late, particularly across the second half and both overtimes. “We had six turnovers in the first half,” Brown said. “We had six turnovers combined in the second half and plus the two overtimes. Was a great job trying to take care of the basketball.”
The Knicks also leaned into pace after emphasizing transition play. “We keep saying we want to play fast,” Brown said. “Our guys got out. He scored 22 fast break points which was pretty good for the game.”
Jalen Brunson’s performance anchored the night, finishing with 42 points, nine assists and eight rebounds while scoring the first six points of the second overtime. “That’s what an MVP candidate does,” Brown said. “On a big stage, coming off a back-to-back, he showed why he should be mentioned as one of the first guys.”
Brown emphasized Brunson’s ability to elevate teammates. “MVPs, they make the game easy for their teammates while getting theirs the right way,” he said. “They had to double him all night and he was still able to make plays.”
Defensively, Brown highlighted the collective approach against Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, who combined to shoot 25-for-60. “You’re not stopping those guys,” he said. “You just hope that you can make them both work, and I thought our guys tried to make them work.”
Mitchell Robinson received particular praise for his impact in extended minutes off the bench. “When he leads with his chest, with the feet that he has, man, he’s one of the best defenders in the league,” Brown said. “To have that luxury is something that we value at a high level.”
Brown also spoke about representing the franchise with the current roster. “You factor in the group of guys in that locker room and their character, their work ethic, their connectivity,” he said. “I feel fortunate to be a part of that group.”
The Knicks shot 50 percent from the field and made 18 three-pointers, overcoming Denver’s 105 shot attempts. New York now heads to Detroit for a matchup with the conference-leading Pistons.
