Mike Brown delivered a detailed and reflective breakdown after the New York Knicks closed out the Atlanta Hawks with a 140-89 Game 6 victory at State Farm Arena on Thursday night.
“You know, just recognizing that the Hawks are a good series,” Brown said. “Quin and the staff, I’ve said this before, they helped us get better and I think they would say the same about us.”
Brown repeatedly credited Atlanta’s coaching staff for forcing adjustments across the series. “Quin pushed a lot of right buttons. Their team did too and it made us have to try to keep figuring out how we can help our guys be better,” he said.
New York’s head coach highlighted the tactical demands that shaped the matchup. “We had to keep them off the glass and we had to keep them out of transition,” Brown said. “Our guys did a good job of that tonight.”
The Knicks held Atlanta to just 8 fast-break points while also controlling the rebounding battle in key stretches. “It’s a good night in the two key areas that we had been talking about the whole series,” he added.
Brown pointed to multiple standout performances that shaped the outcome. “OG was phenomenal,” he said. “He played 27 minutes, had 29 points on 14 field goal attempts and he rebounded his behind off.”
He also praised Josh Hart’s impact. “The defensive versatility that he brings to the table for us was second to none,” Brown said.
Karl-Anthony Towns earned special mention after another productive outing. “It’s his second triple-double of the series. He’s been phenomenal,” Brown said.
Mikal Bridges also drew attention from the Knicks coach. “10 for 12 from the field. But just as importantly, five rebounds. Phenomenal,” he said.
Brown emphasized Jalen Brunson’s control of the offense. “He just makes the game easier for his teammates,” Brown said. “His ability to set screens is second to none. So 33 assists on 50 field goals.”
The Knicks coach also stressed how much the series forced structural offensive changes. “We changed what we did offensively… we had to find more ways to put our guys in their strengths,” Brown said.
He added that the adjustments came from necessity rather than preference. “Atlanta forced us to find a way to do that,” he said. “We feel pretty good about where we’re at right now.”
Brown also acknowledged his staff’s role in preparation. “I got to give my staff a ton of credit… they were phenomenal throughout the course of the series,” he said.
Despite the lopsided finish, Brown avoided overstatement. “This is just one game, that’s one story,” he said. “But it really does not matter. Each game is its own game.”
The Knicks advance after a 4-2 series win, having adjusted defensively and offensively as the matchup evolved.
