It’s Time to give Mike Brown his Flowers
I was at game 2 against the Hawks where the Knicks blew a double digit lead in the 4th quarter. The Garden was despondent, with many so upset at Mike Brown’s coaching. As I said here, some of his decisions that game were inexcusable. Even after winning the series against Atlanta by a million points, some of my friends were still convinced that Mike Brown would be one and done.
Yet I’ve been convinced all season long that Mike Brown is better fit for the Knicks than Thibs (not saying he’s a better coach overall). He coached them to their best regular season record in thirteen years and has them on the cusp of an NBA finals appearance. Also, his system has truly unlocked the Knick’s offensive potential. I felt the Knicks ultimately blew game 2 against the Hawks because they abandoned Brown’s system of pace and reverted to their old way of playing extremely slow, going exclusively through Brunson. And their roster is essentially fully healthy at the most important time of the season (two years ago against the Pacers in game 7, not single member of their starting lineup was healthy). I never understood the criticism.