Mike Brown has made it clear early this season that no spot in the Knicks’ rotation is guaranteed, not even Mikal Bridges’. Through seven games, Brown has already sat Bridges three times, and the message has been reinforced by the kind of depth New York can lean on when it wants to tighten the screws.
That flexibility was on display Monday night against the Brooklyn Nets. Bridges got to the line and made all four of his free throws, but he hit only one of seven shots from the field. A little more than three minutes into the second half, Brown pulled him, and Bridges never returned.
The reason Brown can make that move without blowing up the game is the bench behind him. Landry Shamet has given New York a steady scoring lift, with his 3-point shooting and effort on both ends helping set the tone. Jordan Clarkson has added another layer, bringing scoring, calm pick-and-roll work and a willingness to do the dirty work that has made him easier to trust in bigger minutes.
That combination has given Brown room to be blunt with his starters. It also meant someone else had to absorb the extra run against Brooklyn, and that player was Josh Hart. He finished with 27 minutes, but still played a key role in the fourth quarter as the Knicks pulled away.
This isn’t the first time Brown has shown he’s willing to make a hard call. Earlier in the season, he benched offseason signing Andre Drummond for the second half of the Knicks’ third game, against the Orlando Magic. But the center spot has also shown the limits of that approach: when Drummond was removed, James Wiseman’s seven minutes were a minus-five stretch, which left Brown with less room to maneuver.
Brown’s standard is obvious. He’s asking for effort, and he’s willing to cut minutes when he doesn’t get enough of it.
With the league’s eight-year streak of failed repeats hanging over the season, that kind of pressure may be exactly how he intends to keep the Knicks sharp. Brown, after all, helped the Golden State Warriors repeat as champions in 2017 and 2018 as their defensive coordinator.
In Other News...
Mike Brown Is Sending An Early Message With Knicks Rookie Tyler Kolek
The Knicks win over the Nets at Madison Square Garden offered another small but telling glimpse into how Mike Brown is approaching his rotation early in the season. With New York now 3-4, Brown gave rookie point guard Tyler Kolek a short run and showed enough trust to keep him in the mix, even as the game leaned on more established contributors to steady things.
Landry Shamet led the scoring with 22 points, while Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby helped carry the load as the Knicks continue sorting out their depth. Jose Alvarado also returned and logged nine minutes, adding a block in his first action back, but the bigger takeaway was Browns willingness to give Kolek a real look as New York keeps shaping its backcourt picture. [Read more 🡒]
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 🡒]