Tyler Kolek didn’t need a big night to feel the message from Mike Brown. He got it in five minutes.
With the Knicks working through a 3-4 start and handling the Nets at Madison Square Garden, Brown’s rotation sent a clear signal to the backup point guard: stay ready, because your number can come up at any moment. Kolek checked in for the fourth quarter, played five minutes and scored two points, while Jose Alvarado returned to the mix and logged nine minutes with a block.
For Kolek, that kind of usage is proof that Brown trusts him.
“I think it shows his (Brown's) confidence in me,” Kolek said in the Knicks' locker room after the game. “I think he has confidence in every game on the roster. “As he's shown, he'll throw any guy in at any time, to do the spark,” the Knicks' backup point guard said.
The Knicks still found plenty of offense elsewhere. Landry Shamet led the way with 22 points, Jalen Brunson added 19 and OG Anunoby finished with 18 as New York beat Brooklyn and improved to 3-4. The Nets dropped to 1-6.
Josh Hart also made sure to recognize the contributions from Shamet, Alvarado and Kolek after the win. And while the Knicks haven’t exactly burst out of the gate this season, there’s at least a sense that the group is settling in and building depth as the schedule rolls on.
That matters for a team that will need surprise production if it’s going to repeat as NBA champions. Kolek, at least, sounds comfortable with that role.
In Other News...
Knicks May Be Reaching A Breaking Point With Mikal Bridges
The Knicks got the win over Brooklyn, but Mikal Bridges night was a reminder that not everything is clicking in New York just yet. Bridges managed only six points on 1-of-7 shooting and was limited to 16 minutes, an outing that fit the broader concern around his early-season form. Head coach Mike Brown acknowledged the slump and said Bridges needs to lean into the parts of his game that have made him valuable.
What makes the stretch more notable is how far Bridges current production has dipped from what he delivered last season, which has naturally raised questions about his role and fit. For a Knicks team trying to build consistency, getting him back on track matters beyond one box score. The hope is still there that he can rediscover his rhythm, but the margin for patience is getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hart Sees One Early Knicks Strength That Could Matter Most
The Knicks left Barclays Center with a 103-90 win over the Nets, and the most encouraging part for Josh Hart was not the final score so much as where the help came from. With the starters going through a rough shooting night, New York leaned on its second unit, and Jordan Clarkson and Tyler Kolek were among the reserves who helped steady the game and keep the offense moving.
Hart pointed to that depth as an early strength that could matter as the season wears on. For a team that expects its top group to carry a heavy load, getting a real lift from the bench in a game like this is the kind of sign that can change how the Knicks navigate tougher stretches ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Tyler Kolek Just Made The Knicks Backup Point Guard Battle Real
Tyler Kolek has turned the Knicks backup point guard conversation into something real early in the 2026-27 season. His offensive play has stood out, and the early numbers back it up, with Kolek carrying one of the leagues best assist-to-turnover ratios while showing the kind of control the Knicks have been looking for behind the starter.
Jose Alvarados return from injury was supposed to make the rotation picture clearer, but Kolek still got meaningful fourth-quarter run against the Brooklyn Nets and delivered enough key plays to help New York build its lead. For a Knicks team that values steadiness at the point, that kind of trust in a tight game says plenty, and it leaves the backup job looking more like a live competition than a formality. [Read more 🡒]