Head coach Mike Brown is getting a lot of criticism for his first two games of the postseason coaching the New York Knicks. A shocking Game 2 loss via a fourth quarter choke job saw the Knicks losing their lead to the underdog Atlanta Hawks. CJ McCollum was credited with having the biggest role in the comeback, but some New York fans are putting more blame on Brown.
One specific issue sees Karl-Anthony Towns getting fewer shot attempts than in the regular season. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley stated the following as the Knicks’ biggest mistake:
“When the Knicks keep Karl-Anthony Towns heavily involved in their offense, good things almost always happen. They were 5-1 when he hoisted 20-plus shots and 11-2 when he had at least five assists this season.
Well, in Game 1—which was, admittedly, a largely stress-free affair for New York—Towns tallied just 13 shot attempts. He took one more shot than the Landry Shamet-Jordan Clarkson combo. The Knicks found enough offense elsewhere to get by, but Towns, a true nightmare cover as a 7-footer with deep range, could’ve been more involved and more assertive.”
Towns is averaging just 12.5 shot attempts per game in two playoff games compared to 14 field goal attempts per regular season game. Most playoff teams see their All-Stars having a bigger role in the offense once the rotations are shortened in the playoffs.
Why Mike Brown Is Getting Blamed
New York only has two All-Star players on the roster to make it more important to get the most out of Jalen Brunson and Towns. Both players are coming off yet another All-Star appearance this season, but only Brunson gets treated like that in the Knicks offense.
Brown has made Towns a secondary figure, despite having a great matchup against the Hawks. Towns is playing well with outstanding shooting percentages of 56% from the field and 55% from three-point range so far in the two postseason games.
It makes no sense why Brown is not giving more touches to Towns to exploit the opponent’s weakness and utilize one of their best talents. Reports have circulated that some Knicks players are unhappy with the offense relying on Brunson too often. This fame showed why many are losing faith in Brown.
First-Round Series Is Must Win For Knicks
The past few years have been a rise in prominence for the Knicks thanks to experiencing their greatest playoff success since the late 1990s. New York now has true pressure to win for the first time in multiple decades.
Brown replaced respected head coach Tom Thibodeau last offseason after the latter helped rebuild the Knicks franchise from the ground up. The Knicks must win at least one road game in Atlanta to take back home court and win the series.
A first-round elimination could see Brown fired after just one season. Names like Towns, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart will likely be on the trade block to improve the roster. Brunson is the only person safe from getting moved if the Knicks suffer an embarrassing first round exit.
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