The New York Knicks just won a whole championship, but they’re out here playing preseason ball like they’ve never touched a basketball before. Seriously, 0-5 so far, but honestly, who even cares about preseason records when it’s just October? Coach Mike Brown isn’t sweating the W-L column right now, he’s dialed in on something way more fundamental.
Coach Brown’s “Process” Obsession After A Title Run
Brown made it super clear what his focus is, especially after a championship run. He’s “trying to let the guys understand how important the process is what I’m all about right now.” That’s classic coach talk, but on a team that just hoisted the trophy, it shows they’re not letting up on foundational work. It’s not about the scoreboard in October, it’s about building that championship-level consistency.
The Third-String Center Battle Is Absolutely Wild
Forget the starting five, the real battle is for that third-string center spot, and Brown is hyping it up huge. He straight-up said, “They should all be on a roster this year. There’s no experiments, in my opinion. These guys are all legitimate NBA players. They’re all great guys and in some way, shape or form, I can see each of them contributing this way or that way and it’s not gonna be an easy decision.” That’s a massive endorsement for guys fighting for minutes!
Brown isn’t just saying they’re good, he’s saying this group of centers is special. He’s been in “a lot of training camps,” and this is “probably the best group of centers I’ve been around.” He clarifies he means “best” collectively, not necessarily “most talented,” emphasizing that “All of them bring something different to the table.” For the guy who lands that low-minute role, Brown demands “a passion, an energy and a focus.” He knows minutes will fluctuate and that player needs to “generate some internal energy” for low-minute games or sitting out. Bottom line: he needs someone who’s gonna “play hard at the end of the day, try to do the things that you ask on both sides of the floor and can bring something a little different than the two guys in front of you bring.”
Karl-Anthony Towns’ New Role and Drummond’s Defensive Nuances
Another big question mark is Karl-Anthony Towns potentially seeing more time at power forward. Brown admitted he’s “not sure yet” what that equates to, but there’s “a chance he may play a little bit more at the four.” He feels he has “a better feel” for how to use Towns there, but it will require “some adjustments to what we do.” Don’t ask for an “exact number” of minutes though, because Brown isn’t ready to give one.
And then there’s Andre Drummond’s defensive performance against Minnesota. Brown noted, “The blocks are great, but I’m not a huge shot-blocking guy. His communi…” Well, the quote cuts off, but you get the drift, Brown values more than just swats. It’s about that communication, that unseen work.
The Knicks are wrapping up this back-to-back series north of the border later today. It’s preseason, yeah, but watching how Brown figures out this center rotation and those KAT minutes is gonna be the real show. Gonna be interesting to see who steps up.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Posting and Toasting.
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