Klay Thompson has fond memories of Mike Brown: ‘incredible Harley-Davidson collection’

DALLAS — What’s the first thing Klay Thompson remembers about Mike Brown?

“His incredible Harley-Davidson collection,” Thompson said with a smile in an interview with The Post before the Knicks pulled off a 113-111 victory over the Mavericks.

Brown does indeed own Harleys, but he also left a strong coaching impression on Thompson before and during their years together with the Warriors.

It was a run that produced three championships, with Thompson, who earned four rings with Golden State, as star guard and Brown as lead assistant under Steve Kerr.

“And on top of that [the motorcycles] is attention to detail,” said Thompson, who scored 13 points in the loss to Dallas. “No stone is left unturned with Mike B.,” Thompson said. “And then just his longevity. It was incredible. I watched him when I was in high school.

Brown started as a video coordinator with the Nuggets in the early 1990s and then toured the NBA with several stops as an assistant or head coach.

Still, Thompson didn’t forget the Nuggets part of Brown’s career.

Before the Warriors played Denver, Thompson tried to motivate Brown by reminding him, “They didn’t want to keep you.”

“A little trick to get the best out of your colleagues,” Thompson said Thursday.

Brown left the Warriors in 2022. Then Thompson left in 2024 to join the Mavericks in free agency.

They faced each other on Wednesday for the first time since Brown became head coach of the Knicks.

“I was excited for him [being hired by New York]. I know how much he cares about the game. He’s a player’s coach,” Thompson said. “And he started at the entry level, with a job as a video coordinator. All the way to head coaching for many franchises. So his story is one of perseverance and dedication that is unparalleled in the coaching world

“He’ll do a great job… Tough act to follow [Tom Thibodeau] but he will do a great job.”

Mitchell Robinson said he takes a bigger view of his reduced minutes when asked if it’s mentally tough.

“At first it was, but after thinking about it a lot, obviously I don’t want to miss the playoffs or later in the future,” said Robinson, who scored just three points but pulled down eight boards Wednesday night. “Whatever is best, I’ll just stick with it.”

Robinson has been on a minutes restriction since missing the first four games of the season due to what the Knicks called load management. He often played only three or four minutes at a time and had not surpassed 20 minutes in any game prior to Wednesday.

Still, Brown said Robinson’s minutes restriction had been relaxed and he was eligible to play as many as 27 minutes in Monday’s loss to the Heat.

Robinson started at centre, but only logged 18 minutes.

“I feel like I’ve adjusted pretty well, playing hard for my little short minutes, whatever,” Robinson said. “Just take it all in.”

The purpose of Robinson’s minutes restriction is to preserve his health for the playoffs after two ankle surgeries in the past two years. When asked what the medical staff told him about his minutes limit, Robinson again pleaded ignorance.

“Do what [Brown] asks, bro,” he said. ‘Does as he asks.’