Mike Brown didn’t need long to show exactly what a comfortable win can unlock for the Knicks.
In New York’s blowout of the Chicago Bulls, Brown leaned all the way into the freedom that comes with a game no longer hanging in the balance. He went deep into the bench, mixed and matched lineups the Knicks had barely, if ever, used, and gave himself a chance to learn something beyond the final score.
The result was more than just a lopsided victory. It was a useful night for the present and maybe for what comes next, too.
The Knicks had already picked up three other wins, including another one over Chicago, but none of them came with this kind of breathing room. They had to climb out of double digits against the Detroit Pistons, rally from 19 down in their first meeting with the Bulls, and survive a shaky third quarter against the Brooklyn Nets.
This one never got close. New York led by as many as 44 points, and that cushion let Brown use all 14 active players, including Pacome Dadiet.
What stood out most was that Brown didn’t wait until the game was fully out of reach to start experimenting. Mohamed Diawara got first-half minutes.
Dalton Knecht did, too. Tyler Kolek was back in the mix as well, which is becoming more familiar, but still matters when Jose Alvarado, Miles McBride, and Jordan Clarkson are all available.
Kolek’s return to the rotation says plenty on its own. The minutes he’s getting have given Brown enough to work with that, at least for now, he’s been placed ahead of Alvarado. The Grand Theft dynamo didn’t check in until midway through the fourth quarter.
Brown also used the game to test combinations the Knicks had not tried before. He put Diawara, Kolek, Clarkson, Mikal Bridges, and Karl-Anthony Towns on the floor together in the second quarter. Later, he swapped in Knecht for Bridges and Drummond for KAT in another look.
Whether any of those groupings turn into regular options doesn’t really matter yet. The point was to see them at all.
That kind of win also pays off in a more obvious way: it saves legs. Josh Hart sat out with an ankle issue, and KAT, Bridges, OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, and Landry Shamet, filling in for Hart, all stayed well under 30 minutes.
For a team coming off two deep playoff runs, every bit of rest matters. But the Knicks don’t need to keep building 40-point cushions to get it. They just need enough control in the game - and in the standings - to give Brown room to get creative.
That’s where the value starts to stack up. More minutes for Diawara help New York figure out whether it needs another fourth wing before the playoffs.
Kolek’s run gives the Knicks a better sense of what he can do running the offense. Knecht gets a chance to show whether he can become the next Landry Shamet success story.
And in a true blowout, Dadiet or James Wiseman can get a look, too.
It’s not just about collecting data for the front office and the deadline. It’s also about building out the roster in real time, with eyes on this season, next year, and beyond.
In Other News...
Knicks May Need An Unusual Andre Drummond Fix Longer Than Expected
Andre Drummonds fit with the Knicks has taken on a strangely modern look, with the big man being asked to spend time in the corner and fire away from deep in a role he also handled with the 76ers. It is not the kind of usage most people associate with a center, but the idea is straightforward: if Drummond is willing to stand there and take those shots, the floor opens up for everyone else.
Last season, Drummond put up a career-high number of corner threes and finished at a clip that was close to the league average, which gives New York some reason to keep leaning into the experiment. The trade-off is obvious, since he still struggles to finish at the rim, but the Knicks appear willing to live with that if the spacing helps the offense find cleaner looks for the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Former Knicks Guard Just Landed In An Uncomfortable Spot For New York
Kevin McCullar Jr. has quickly found a new landing spot after his brief run with the Knicks, signing a two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors. For New York, it is another reminder of how fluid the back end of the roster can be, especially with players on two-way deals who can move on without much ceremony once a team decides to go in a different direction.
McCullar had been with the Knicks on two-way contracts before being waived earlier this season, and Toronto was able to add him without making a corresponding roster move. He can suit up in up to 45 regular-season games for the Raptors, though his path to the postseason still depends on getting elevated to the standard roster, leaving his next step in Toronto worth watching from a Knicks perspective. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Are Sending Mikal Bridges A Clear Early-Season Message
Mike Brown has wasted little time sending Mikal Bridges a message this season. The Knicks coach has been pulling the starting wing earlier in games than he did a year ago, a notable shift for a player who signed a four-year contract extension and was expected to remain a central part of New Yorks rotation.
Bridges defense was a major factor in the Knicks playoff run last spring, but Brown has made it clear the bar stays high even for established pieces. With New York trying to defend its NBA title, Bridges will need to shake off his early shooting issues and earn back the kind of closing minutes that usually come with his role. [Read more 🡒]