New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown emphasized defensive execution, offensive decision-making and the importance of the learning process after his team suffered a 122-104 preseason loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday, October 12, at Madison Square Garden.
The defeat dropped the defending NBA champions to 0-3 in preseason, while Minnesota improved to 3-1. Anthony Edwards scored 26 points, and Jaden McDaniels added 22 as the Timberwolves shot 53% from three-point range, making 18 of 34 attempts.
Brown identified the closing minutes of the first half as a key period for the Knicks, who allowed Minnesota to build momentum from beyond the arc.
“In the first half, we closed the last three minutes not playing great defensively,” Brown said. “With our execution, we gave up a lot of threes in a short amount of time to the Timberwolves.”
Minnesota was shooting 63% from three-point range at halftime. Brown said the Knicks reviewed those defensive possessions during the break, and he credited his starters with responding after the interval.
Offensively, Brown wants New York to attack the paint and create more opportunities for teammates on the perimeter rather than settling for difficult shots. The Knicks recorded just eight paint-to-perimeter passes leading to potential perimeter opportunities, a figure Brown said was well below the team’s target of approximately 20 per game.
“We have to do a better job of touching the paint and trying to spray it,” Brown explained. “We took a lot of floaters, a lot of tough shots in the paint by our guards.”
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He also pointed to rebounding and penetration as major concerns, saying the Knicks’ inability to box out and prevent drives through the middle helped decide the game.
“At the end of the day, our inability to box out, we didn’t do a good job with that,” Brown said. “Box these guys out and keep them out the paint from middle drives is the difference in the ball game.”
Despite the preseason result, Brown stressed that his focus remains on the process rather than the final score. He explained that the Knicks are working with a relatively simple offensive structure to test their ability to execute when opponents disrupt their preferred actions.
“For me, it’s more about the process. Not necessarily the end result,” Brown said.
He wants to see whether New York can maintain its pace, find its preferred spots and execute counters when defenses apply pressure. Brown also highlighted the importance of playing with speed after mistakes and correcting assignment breakdowns through film sessions and practice.
The coach also discussed the development of young players Pacome Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara. He praised their talent and willingness to learn while identifying specific areas for improvement, including closeouts and boxing out.
“Both those guys are long, they’re obviously young and they’re talented,” Brown said. “I’m going to keep coaching them and they’re going to keep getting better.”
Brown added that progress would not always be linear for young players, describing development as a learning experience that involves occasional setbacks.
One of his most encouraging observations concerned Andre Drummond, who recorded three blocks against Philadelphia earlier in the preseason and continued to provide rim protection against Minnesota. Brown said Drummond’s defensive communication stood out even more than his shot-blocking.
“His communication right now is unbelievable,” Brown said. “Usually your big is the one that sees everything out in front, and so he’s usually your quarterback of your defense.”
Brown was particularly impressed by how Drummond organized the defense and handled pick-and-roll situations, suggesting that his vocal presence could be an important asset as New York adjusts its frontcourt rotation.
