Knicks head coach Mike Brown emphasized his team’s resilience following a 114-113 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
“Our guys had plenty of chances…nobody would have been mad at them a couple of times if they had just thrown in the towel. And it’s not our group,” Brown said.
He emphasized the team’s competitive spirit despite several absences. “We have a standard no matter who is on the floor… you have to make sacrifices, be connected and have a competitive spirit. Our group applies that from top to bottom,” Brown added.
Brown pointed to defensive adjustments that helped the Knicks in the second half. “The big thing during the game… our physical level rose in the right way defensively. I’m really proud of our guys for doing that,” he said.
He praised individual contributions, noting, “Tyler [Kolek] was fantastic on both ends of the floor…Jordan [Clarkson] hit a few timely threes. Trey was our defensive player of the game. OG with the steal at the end of the game. And our MVP, Jalen Brunson… he says, ‘I get this win. I’m going for it.’ And he came through. That’s what real MVPs do.”
Brown discussed his decision to create Mohamed Diawara, citing opportunity and potential. “As soon as I knew the guys were going to go out, I wanted to start him. He’s a young guy with really good touch. Any time I can find time for him on the floor, I’m going to try to do it,” he said.
He also talked about Tyler Kolek’s breakthrough. “The opportunity is there for him and to see him take advantage of it is huge. I just didn’t want him to lose sight of that ability. He can score. He can pass. Defensively he has been physically strong on every possession,” Brown explained.
The Knicks overcame a 16-point deficit in the first quarter, with Kolek recording career highs of 16 points and 11 assists, helping New York finish the game strong. Jalen Brunson led the team with 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, while OG Anunoby contributed 16 points, including the critical defensive play that sealed the victory.
Indiana was followed by Andrew Nembhard with 31 points and Pascal Siakam with 26, but the Pacers fell short despite scoring 46% overall. New York shot 47% from the field and 40% from three, extending their winning streak to seven games and improving their resilience under Brown’s leadership.
#Mike #Brown #praises #Knicks #resilience #win #Pacers #TalkBasket.net