Knicks · Mike Brown will be the next NY Knicks coach (page 6)

fishmike @ 7/3/2025 2:17 PM
GustavBahler wrote:
fishmike wrote:
GustavBahler wrote:
fishmike wrote:
GustavBahler wrote:Brown is coming in knowing what got Thibs fired. He's shown he can focus on either side of the ball. I will be very suprised if our bench plays the fewest minutes in the league again. Surprised if our recent picks are an afterthought in the offense.

Just by virtue of not playing our starters more minutes than any other team in 30 plus years will help. Using the bench which was better than the amount of PT they actually got, will help.

They may have some similarities in coaching style. Doesnt mean Brown will ignore how Thibs coached last season, and not alter his game plan accordingly.

You know what they say about trying the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. I dont think Brown is crazy enough to make the mistakes that got Thibs fired.

Brown coached Lebron for 5 years. During that stint Lebron's MPG: 42, 41, 40, 37, 39
Those teams are the source for Brown's "good coaching record"

He had a great first year with the Kings and lost in the first round to the 6th seeded Warriors. Like what Thibs had to deal with playing the 76rs with Embiid coming back (except the Thib's coached team won).

Here is what Brown brings:
A new voice and fresh start (to a team with a clearly established top 7 rotation guys)
Clear expectations from the FO should set him up for success. Except it's the Knicks. And if you are Brown you are saying anything to ace that interview to get this job no matter what cause it's the phucking Knicks.

Doing what Thibs failed to do is the easy part. Play the bench, shoot more 3s, whatever you have pining for I hope you get it. Lets talk about the hard part. That's getting back to game 6 of the conference finals. This time in position to win it and maybe even a chip.

That's really the only part this poster cares about. I can find leadership and collaboration on pornhub. I wanna see the Knicks win a title. Brown is a ra-ra guy. Get em fired up. Do we need that? The Knicks record under Thibs after a loss says a lot about the culture. Maybe they need some ra-ra to get to the next level. That's my hope.

I thought folks were pining for an Xs and Os master. We got a cheerleader. He's middle tier NBA coach at best. His success with come down to personality and whether or not this group of players like the guy. That's it.

There is a big asterik that comes with those numbers because LeBron is hands down the most durable superstar to ever play the game. It was also chiefly the LeBron show in those years in Cleveland. Which is why he went to Miami.

With Thibs it isnt just one player playing record minutes, its the entire line-up.

If Brown can come up with something schematically to own at one time both the best offense and defense in the league. Shows he has a good grasp of Xs and Os.

We might not need a top 5 Xs and Os coach in the league. Its a balance between the roster and the coaching staff. We have a very talented roster, and the FO doesnt look like they're done yet. The coaching staff is a work in progress.

Im optimistic we will see a better version of this roster next season. The wins might not come as quick because we arent leaning on our starters so much. But over the course of the season I believe it will pay dividends.

sorry did Mike Brown know that when he was playing him 40+ a night? That's some real magical logic your selling there.

Nobody is more durable than Mikal. That means Thibs didnt overplay him? Josh is durable. Wild comment man.

My memory isnt what it used to be. But I believe you're forgetting what a freak of nature a young LeBron was back then. He also had trainers and medical staff who were telling Brown in real time how he was holding up.

Bridges is on a squad that was far more talented then the one Lebron was on. Which is why he was right to ask "why so many minutes"?

Im not forgetting anything. Im looking at 5 years of data, playing your best guy 40 minutes plus and having subpar playoff performances with 3 of 5 years getting bounced in the semis as a 1/2 seed. 3 of 5 years dude was beaten by a lower seed.

Its just funny watching the anti Thibs crowd get so behind a players coach who ride or dies with "his guys," doesnt adjust and has a wildly spotty playoff resume. Im sure he's gonna be a great man

Knicksfan @ 7/3/2025 2:56 PM
Uptown wrote:So, for those who are keeping score at home, Mike Brown wasn't resposible for the number 1 offense in the league when he coached Sac-Town, it was his assistant coach, Jordi Fernandez? Who by the way, lead the Nets to a bottom 5 offensive rating this past season....

Also, Browns trip to the finals and all the wins he had in the playoffs in Cleveland had nothing to do with Brown, that was all Lebron?

Yep

Rosy times at the Garden. One would think we are still in the dark days…

fishmike @ 7/3/2025 3:35 PM
Knicksfan wrote:
Uptown wrote:So, for those who are keeping score at home, Mike Brown wasn't resposible for the number 1 offense in the league when he coached Sac-Town, it was his assistant coach, Jordi Fernandez? Who by the way, lead the Nets to a bottom 5 offensive rating this past season....

Also, Browns trip to the finals and all the wins he had in the playoffs in Cleveland had nothing to do with Brown, that was all Lebron?

Yep

Rosy times at the Garden. One would think we are still in the dark days…

right... like hearing all year how bad Thibs is and how we have to move on and how he's gonna run our players into the ground. All year. Then all our guys last, we pull off an epic upset and with all our guys healthy go farther than ever. Yet you have 10 guys here who post daily that act like the guy is an anchor.

Its ok to want to win a title and be underwhelmed by the hire. Dark times is Isiah selling us a Steve Francis trade or the Trump administration deporting our fan base.

Im not gonna hate on Mike Brown. Lets hope this is the players coach for our players. This is an incredibly MEH move for a team hoping to move the needle and win a title

martin @ 7/3/2025 3:37 PM
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6471316...

I'd guess this another area where working more collaboratively with the coach is set apart from Thibs, ie. helping out with finding offensive coach, as Brown had in Sac when they were so good offensively.

In Sacramento, Brown would field feedback from his assistants enthusiastically, though they had to prepare first. The coaching staff understood any suggestion to Brown would come with follow-up questions — not for the sake of defiance but because their boss wanted to test their preparation. He expects the same attention to detail from his staff that he requires from himself.

While Thibodeau would often take the reins to lead practices, which isn’t common for NBA coaches, Brown delegates to the assistants in those scenarios. He has spoken extensively about how his six years under Warriors coach Steve Kerr, one of the league’s most famously collaborative leaders, changed him. This seems to be one of those ways.

TheMTL @ 7/3/2025 3:46 PM
I'll wait and see on Mike Brown. I do think that Thibs would still have his job had he been willing to play his bench more
HofstraBBall @ 7/3/2025 4:49 PM
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:

Not optimal when a coach is hired and then fans root for a specific assistant to be hired to help.

Only if you look at it from a weird angle.

Bringing in the best resources to your organization is always a good thing when you can. It’s a reflection on what the FO is trying to do, not necessarily an indicator of Brown.

Weird angle only if those “best resources” are not the lead assistant for the former Head Coach nor an assistant who was in the running for the job you were just hired for.

The “normal process” is for a coach to pick his own assistants. Aka, trust in the guy you just hired to put together a winning staff and one he is comfortable with. Maybe reason why Jenkins did not work out. Since that is what happened to him in Memphis and did not go well. This reeks more and more like what I have been saying. Rick and JB in charge and Dolan appeasing them with a collaborative pick.

Hey, doesn’t matter if it works and we are better. But I took off my Rose colored lenses a long time ago as a Knick fan. Or maybe it’s from being in finance for so many years. Where you see how cut throat business is. And the NBA is a huge business.

Leon and Wes did this when Thibs was hired. Make that work with the Brunson connection.

Maybe this type of thing is not of your flavor but it don’t mean it’s necessarily bad. But you went all conspiracy for no reason.

Well , my other theory in which I predicted Randle would be traded back to the Knicks fell through. So….

So if they insist on a move to keep the “Brunson connection “ happy, is that whats best for the team? For the new coach?

As for conspiracy theories, isn’t that what all fan opinions basically are?
Neither of us know why or who fired Thibs.
Nor do we know why Brown was picked or what conditions were given.
My theory leans the way it does due to the past record of our glorious owner. And the two items listed above.

Does it really matter?
Probably just here on some of these threads.
Game one is a few months away and all that will matter at the end is how much winning takes place.
My fear is that if things don’t go well, we will head closer to the pre Thibs dysfunctional Knicks where Dolan hires lackeys so he can have more say.

You were the one who brought this up as a possibility, so maybe you need to substantiate it. I think it has nothing to do with appeasing Brunson.

Think that’s what is behind collaborative narrative in Brown hiring.
Reasonable guess that it was the reason Jenkins cooled on job.
You brought up that it was done when Thibs got hired as well?

So valid question. Did adding/keeping Rick benefit the team? Maybe.
Didn’t hurt Thibs if Rick’s opinion soured on him? I think so

I really don't get this thinking.

Your thought is that "collaborative" means that the new coach much collaborate with the Brunson's on what other coaches the Knicks FO and Brown should hire?

And not the more obvious and simple version of collaboration between coaching staff and FO?

Cause that's a wild ass conspiracy theory that has no legs for me.

You still haven't answered why you said hiring Rick when Thins was hired was to "collaborate with the Brunson's" and how that is different than what I am saying is happening with Brown?

Do you know what was meant by the quote "that he was willing to collaborate"?
But let's dive into your view, as you stated, of what "collaborating with the FO" looks like?
Is it like Phil-Rambus collaboration?
Does that have to be really quoted? Aren't all coaches expected to be part of the FO dynamic?

I didn't, I think you read it wrong.

We are all guessing at what collaboration means. I don't think it means picking assistants by running it by the Brunson's. I think you said it above: "Think that’s what is behind collaborative narrative in Brown hiring."

More like these topics and others

Ok, must have then.
My take was not that Brown is running who he should hire by the Brunson’s.
More that the FO wants more say in who is on his staff.
As stated, Not optimal for a coach to be given assistants. IMHO
Specially when it is the dad of your number one player.
But yes, if he is okay with it then one would say he is more open to suggestions.
Also, Not sure if you made the point, but Rick has yet to be officially announced.

Final say on Brown is that it will be proven that his schemes are no different than most NBA coaches. Including Thibs.
Is he the right hire and was it a good decision to fire Thibs?
That will be determined by our success.
Although I did not want to see Thibs go, I am more concerned about improving the bench.

GustavBahler @ 7/3/2025 5:49 PM
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:

Not optimal when a coach is hired and then fans root for a specific assistant to be hired to help.

Only if you look at it from a weird angle.

Bringing in the best resources to your organization is always a good thing when you can. It’s a reflection on what the FO is trying to do, not necessarily an indicator of Brown.

Weird angle only if those “best resources” are not the lead assistant for the former Head Coach nor an assistant who was in the running for the job you were just hired for.

The “normal process” is for a coach to pick his own assistants. Aka, trust in the guy you just hired to put together a winning staff and one he is comfortable with. Maybe reason why Jenkins did not work out. Since that is what happened to him in Memphis and did not go well. This reeks more and more like what I have been saying. Rick and JB in charge and Dolan appeasing them with a collaborative pick.

Hey, doesn’t matter if it works and we are better. But I took off my Rose colored lenses a long time ago as a Knick fan. Or maybe it’s from being in finance for so many years. Where you see how cut throat business is. And the NBA is a huge business.

Leon and Wes did this when Thibs was hired. Make that work with the Brunson connection.

Maybe this type of thing is not of your flavor but it don’t mean it’s necessarily bad. But you went all conspiracy for no reason.

Well , my other theory in which I predicted Randle would be traded back to the Knicks fell through. So….

So if they insist on a move to keep the “Brunson connection “ happy, is that whats best for the team? For the new coach?

As for conspiracy theories, isn’t that what all fan opinions basically are?
Neither of us know why or who fired Thibs.
Nor do we know why Brown was picked or what conditions were given.
My theory leans the way it does due to the past record of our glorious owner. And the two items listed above.

Does it really matter?
Probably just here on some of these threads.
Game one is a few months away and all that will matter at the end is how much winning takes place.
My fear is that if things don’t go well, we will head closer to the pre Thibs dysfunctional Knicks where Dolan hires lackeys so he can have more say.

You were the one who brought this up as a possibility, so maybe you need to substantiate it. I think it has nothing to do with appeasing Brunson.

Think that’s what is behind collaborative narrative in Brown hiring.
Reasonable guess that it was the reason Jenkins cooled on job.
You brought up that it was done when Thibs got hired as well?

So valid question. Did adding/keeping Rick benefit the team? Maybe.
Didn’t hurt Thibs if Rick’s opinion soured on him? I think so

I really don't get this thinking.

Your thought is that "collaborative" means that the new coach much collaborate with the Brunson's on what other coaches the Knicks FO and Brown should hire?

And not the more obvious and simple version of collaboration between coaching staff and FO?

Cause that's a wild ass conspiracy theory that has no legs for me.

You still haven't answered why you said hiring Rick when Thins was hired was to "collaborate with the Brunson's" and how that is different than what I am saying is happening with Brown?

Do you know what was meant by the quote "that he was willing to collaborate"?
But let's dive into your view, as you stated, of what "collaborating with the FO" looks like?
Is it like Phil-Rambus collaboration?
Does that have to be really quoted? Aren't all coaches expected to be part of the FO dynamic?

I didn't, I think you read it wrong.

We are all guessing at what collaboration means. I don't think it means picking assistants by running it by the Brunson's. I think you said it above: "Think that’s what is behind collaborative narrative in Brown hiring."

More like these topics and others

Ok, must have then.
My take was not that Brown is running who he should hire by the Brunson’s.
More that the FO wants more say in who is on his staff.
As stated, Not optimal for a coach to be given assistants. IMHO
Specially when it is the dad of your number one player.
But yes, if he is okay with it then one would say he is more open to suggestions.
Also, Not sure if you made the point, but Rick has yet to be officially announced.

Final say on Brown is that it will be proven that his schemes are no different than most NBA coaches. Including Thibs.
Is he the right hire and was it a good decision to fire Thibs?
That will be determined by our success.
Although I did not want to see Thibs go, I am more concerned about improving the bench.

With Thibs it was not so much who was being substituted, but when. Sounds like the FO is looking to sharpen up the response time to what is happening on the court. Not so much time outs, but more substitutions. An opportunity for the yoots to earn minutes. Cant really say that was the case with bottom of the league minutes for the bench.

Two things can be true at the same time. We wouldnt be this competitive without Thibs. He turned the Knicks into a feared team. Especially on the road.

It can be also true that Thibs strategy puts more chips in the regular season than about any other team. Young players cant grow without minutes. Veteran subs cant get a reliable shot going in most cases without PT Playing in practice vs. teammates who know your game inside out has only so much utility

Brown might not be the perfect coach, but he might be the perfect coach for us. Part of many championship teams. A willingness to develop players. A coach who knows how to manage stars. He knows what went right with the Knicks, and what went wrong. If the FO thought that Thibs was willing to change course on his bedrock philosophy, when it comes to his starters. That we've seen across three teams. I'm guessing that Leon and Dolan wouldnt have made this move.

I dont believe Thibs is consistently at the bottom of the player's head coach rankings because they think he's a jerk, or a bully. Maybe rigid to the point of not taking a lot to be on the outside looking in. And when millions of $$$ are are at stake, thats not a good place to be.

LivingLegend @ 7/3/2025 6:23 PM
The general whining over Mike Brown being a bad hire is borderline laughable.

If you have any kind of open mind and simply ignore perceptions 1 v 1 this guy has put together a better career than Thibs - think the #s spell that out.

And this guy is what 11 years younger with plenty of time to add to an already pretty great resume.

I was never really a fan of Brown but again as a Knick fan I'm hoping for the best and the more I read about his record, his winning %, his longevity, his being part of 4 championship teams, his already having had to coach many of the games greatest players -- I mean who else were we really supposed to hire.

Me myself I was pushing for T Jenkins and was intrigued early on by Hurley/Wright etc. but after getting in the weeds on Brown he's more deserving than all those guys.

Does he win it all here? In my heart I truly believe that's going to really come down to player performance, health and luck but will Mike Brown be the reason we don't win it all --- I tend to think NO WAY.

Uptown @ 7/3/2025 6:25 PM
fishmike wrote:
Uptown wrote:So, for those who are keeping score at home, Mike Brown wasn't resposible for the number 1 offense in the league when he coached Sac-Town, it was his assistant coach, Jordi Fernandez? Who by the way, lead the Nets to a bottom 5 offensive rating this past season....

Also, Browns trip to the finals and all the wins he had in the playoffs in Cleveland had nothing to do with Brown, that was all Lebron?

you think 5 years of Lebron and one visit to the finals for a loss is good?

5 years of Lebron..
those teams were 1 or 2 seeds every year
3 of Mikes 5 years they got bounced in the 2nd round. 3 of 5. You happy with Cle's season this year? You happy with Boston's season this year? Both those fan bases are phucking pissed. 3 of 5 years dude. That's not good or impressive. I dont know how you spin that in Mike's favor.

His first season with Sac was cute. Lots of scoring. Bottom 5 defense. First round exit to a 6th seed.

Just hope our guys like him and work hard. That's it. This is a downgrade.

Mike's a good coach. He's not a phucking retard. He's gonna have a plan and try to connect with the guys. We have a good team. He can have success here. That's my hope.

Fun fact...Mike Brown has the same number of finals appearances without Lebron as Steve Kerr has without Steph Curry! Another Fun fact, Mike Brown has more playoff victories without Lebron than Steve Kerr has without Steph....Wanna win a 'chip in this league, better have an MVP or franchise changing player....See Mark Daigneault

Brown coached LeBron from ages 21-25. Yes, he won MVP at 24 and 25, but he wasn't at his peak, yet. Also, those Mike Brown Cavs teams were consistently top 5 defensively, numer 1 in 2009.

You mentioned Browns years with Lebron...and the playoff success or lack thereof....Lets add some context to your numbers.


2006: in Brown's first year, the Cavs lost to the #1 seeded Pistons in 7 in the EC semi finals.

2007: Browns second year, they upset the #1 sees Pistons in the ECF and went to the finals. That was a big playoff win. Was it as big as our win against the Celts this year? Not sure, but that victory got them into the finals.

2008: Cavslost to the number 1 seed Celts, who won the 'chip that year.


2009: lost to the Magic in conferecne finals. Cavs were the higher seed and definelty could have won. I can make the argument that the Magic had a more talented roster.


2010: Lost to and experienced Celtics team. Cavs were the higher seed.

Making the playoffs for the first time in 16 years in Sacramento is more than cute, especially when you consider that Kings team is almost as dysfunctional as our beloved Knicks were during the Isiah years.


I was never the biggest Thibs supporter but I defintely wasn't anti Thibs. Gave him props when I thought he deserved it and I called him out when he needed to be. Based on everything that has come out since his firing, its clear that Thibs as coach of this team has runs its course. The relationship between him and the front office was severed and they were not on the same page. Makes more sense to fire him now and find a coach during the offseason, rather than wait to fire him mid-season next year, and try to win a chip in a year with Rick Brunson or Mark Bryant.

HofstraBBall @ 7/3/2025 7:10 PM
GustavBahler wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:
HofstraBBall wrote:
martin wrote:

Not optimal when a coach is hired and then fans root for a specific assistant to be hired to help.

Only if you look at it from a weird angle.

Bringing in the best resources to your organization is always a good thing when you can. It’s a reflection on what the FO is trying to do, not necessarily an indicator of Brown.

Weird angle only if those “best resources” are not the lead assistant for the former Head Coach nor an assistant who was in the running for the job you were just hired for.

The “normal process” is for a coach to pick his own assistants. Aka, trust in the guy you just hired to put together a winning staff and one he is comfortable with. Maybe reason why Jenkins did not work out. Since that is what happened to him in Memphis and did not go well. This reeks more and more like what I have been saying. Rick and JB in charge and Dolan appeasing them with a collaborative pick.

Hey, doesn’t matter if it works and we are better. But I took off my Rose colored lenses a long time ago as a Knick fan. Or maybe it’s from being in finance for so many years. Where you see how cut throat business is. And the NBA is a huge business.

Leon and Wes did this when Thibs was hired. Make that work with the Brunson connection.

Maybe this type of thing is not of your flavor but it don’t mean it’s necessarily bad. But you went all conspiracy for no reason.

Well , my other theory in which I predicted Randle would be traded back to the Knicks fell through. So….

So if they insist on a move to keep the “Brunson connection “ happy, is that whats best for the team? For the new coach?

As for conspiracy theories, isn’t that what all fan opinions basically are?
Neither of us know why or who fired Thibs.
Nor do we know why Brown was picked or what conditions were given.
My theory leans the way it does due to the past record of our glorious owner. And the two items listed above.

Does it really matter?
Probably just here on some of these threads.
Game one is a few months away and all that will matter at the end is how much winning takes place.
My fear is that if things don’t go well, we will head closer to the pre Thibs dysfunctional Knicks where Dolan hires lackeys so he can have more say.

You were the one who brought this up as a possibility, so maybe you need to substantiate it. I think it has nothing to do with appeasing Brunson.

Think that’s what is behind collaborative narrative in Brown hiring.
Reasonable guess that it was the reason Jenkins cooled on job.
You brought up that it was done when Thibs got hired as well?

So valid question. Did adding/keeping Rick benefit the team? Maybe.
Didn’t hurt Thibs if Rick’s opinion soured on him? I think so

I really don't get this thinking.

Your thought is that "collaborative" means that the new coach much collaborate with the Brunson's on what other coaches the Knicks FO and Brown should hire?

And not the more obvious and simple version of collaboration between coaching staff and FO?

Cause that's a wild ass conspiracy theory that has no legs for me.

You still haven't answered why you said hiring Rick when Thins was hired was to "collaborate with the Brunson's" and how that is different than what I am saying is happening with Brown?

Do you know what was meant by the quote "that he was willing to collaborate"?
But let's dive into your view, as you stated, of what "collaborating with the FO" looks like?
Is it like Phil-Rambus collaboration?
Does that have to be really quoted? Aren't all coaches expected to be part of the FO dynamic?

I didn't, I think you read it wrong.

We are all guessing at what collaboration means. I don't think it means picking assistants by running it by the Brunson's. I think you said it above: "Think that’s what is behind collaborative narrative in Brown hiring."

More like these topics and others

Ok, must have then.
My take was not that Brown is running who he should hire by the Brunson’s.
More that the FO wants more say in who is on his staff.
As stated, Not optimal for a coach to be given assistants. IMHO
Specially when it is the dad of your number one player.
But yes, if he is okay with it then one would say he is more open to suggestions.
Also, Not sure if you made the point, but Rick has yet to be officially announced.

Final say on Brown is that it will be proven that his schemes are no different than most NBA coaches. Including Thibs.
Is he the right hire and was it a good decision to fire Thibs?
That will be determined by our success.
Although I did not want to see Thibs go, I am more concerned about improving the bench.

With Thibs it was not so much who was being substituted, but when. Sounds like the FO is looking to sharpen up the response time to what is happening on the court. Not so much time outs, but more substitutions. An opportunity for the yoots to earn minutes. Cant really say that was the case with bottom of the league minutes for the bench.

Two things can be true at the same time. We wouldnt be this competitive without Thibs. He turned the Knicks into a feared team. Especially on the road.

It can be also true that Thibs strategy puts more chips in the regular season than about any other team. Young players cant grow without minutes. Veteran subs cant get a reliable shot going in most cases without PT Playing in practice vs. teammates who know your game inside out has only so much utility

Brown might not be the perfect coach, but he might be the perfect coach for us. Part of many championship teams. A willingness to develop players. A coach who knows how to manage stars. He knows what went right with the Knicks, and what went wrong. If the FO thought that Thibs was willing to change course on his bedrock philosophy, when it comes to his starters. That we've seen across three teams. I'm guessing that Leon and Dolan wouldnt have made this move.

I dont believe Thibs is consistently at the bottom of the player's head coach rankings because they think he's a jerk, or a bully. Maybe rigid to the point of not taking a lot to be on the outside looking in. And when millions of $$$ are are at stake, thats not a good place to be.

Would not argue with you, on certain points, regarding Thibs.
He was rigid and did not allow subs to play through mistakes.
But are we sure Brown is that much different.
And it seems to be like Brown was at least behind Kidd on preference.
If we are to believe rumors.
We shall see. I just don’t put that much into guys expecting things to be dramatically different.
I have always felt that level of success falls on players the most.

ramtour420 @ 7/3/2025 7:13 PM
fishmike wrote:
ramtour420 wrote:
SupremeCommander wrote:I feel like he's the same guy as Thibs, so this feels like change for the sake of change

He has had a number one offense in this league with an all star big man and an all star PG. Something that Thibs wasn't able to do. Not the same guy

these conference finals had 4 elite defensive teams. Does defense win titles? It appears to. The number 1 offense you are pumping was also a bottom 5 defense. They couldnt stop anyone and were a first round exit. That impresses you?

I never said he was perfect or impressive. However, we aren't gonna win big if we cannot get Brunson and KAT en effective offense. And if we do, that, will impress me, yes
Philc1 @ 7/3/2025 8:11 PM
LivingLegend wrote:The general whining over Mike Brown being a bad hire is borderline laughable.

If you have any kind of open mind and simply ignore perceptions 1 v 1 this guy has put together a better career than Thibs - think the #s spell that out.

And this guy is what 11 years younger with plenty of time to add to an already pretty great resume.

I was never really a fan of Brown but again as a Knick fan I'm hoping for the best and the more I read about his record, his winning %, his longevity, his being part of 4 championship teams, his already having had to coach many of the games greatest players -- I mean who else were we really supposed to hire.

Me myself I was pushing for T Jenkins and was intrigued early on by Hurley/Wright etc. but after getting in the weeds on Brown he's more deserving than all those guys.

Does he win it all here? In my heart I truly believe that's going to really come down to player performance, health and luck but will Mike Brown be the reason we don't win it all --- I tend to think NO WAY.

Open season for Knicks haters in the media to come out from cover and concealment. If the Knicks didn’t replace Thibs with Pat Riley or Gregg Poppovich the media was going to roast us. Last laugh will be on them though.

joec32033 @ 7/3/2025 11:45 PM
fishmike wrote:
joec32033 wrote:
fishmike wrote:Has Mike Brown ever won a playoff series? Arent all his wins with Lebron teams?

Like I thought this was about winning a title. We at least saw Thibs with some quality playoff wins... Cle/Phili/Bos were all quality wins.

It's wild because Brown's rep is playing his guys too much and never adjusting. Y'all are gonna love him

He was COY his first year in Sac and the team got worse each year. They lost to the 6th seeded Warriors in their only playoff appearance.

Look... bottom line is this is a WIN WIN for Knick fans. We either win a title or are at least in the finals and Leon was right again. Or we flame out in the 1st or 2nd round to the Hawks or Bucks, but the important thing will be we did so with leadership and collaboration.

Matt George (Locked on Kings host) was on Locked on Knicks E2099 discussing Mike Brown. Give it a listen. Totally different perception then the one you are putting out there.


The perception I am getting is from Kings fans and folks who have seen him coach up close.

The only thing Brown brings is that he's not Thibs. That's literally it. Offense? He's simply bad without a "guru" assistant. His rotations are set in stone and his adjustments are not exisitant. He's a players coach who's MO is to empower his guys to succeed or fail. Literally just like Thibs.

Not disagreeing. Just saying. I know he had a real good offense for the Kings. Have never closely watched Brown but this guys says he isn't afraid to use deep rotations and isn't afraid to mix and match. We don't know his assistants here yet so I can't speak on what he may look like just what people who have watched him closer than me are saying and I seem to be getting a consistent message that he has some similarities but he has a lot of differences too. I don't think he is a Thibs clone though.
My? Me

blkexec @ 7/4/2025 8:07 AM
ramtour420 wrote:
fishmike wrote:
ramtour420 wrote:
SupremeCommander wrote:I feel like he's the same guy as Thibs, so this feels like change for the sake of change

He has had a number one offense in this league with an all star big man and an all star PG. Something that Thibs wasn't able to do. Not the same guy

these conference finals had 4 elite defensive teams. Does defense win titles? It appears to. The number 1 offense you are pumping was also a bottom 5 defense. They couldnt stop anyone and were a first round exit. That impresses you?

I never said he was perfect or impressive. However, we aren't gonna win big if we cannot get Brunson and KAT en effective offense. And if we do, that, will impress me, yes

1. He’s not the same as Thibs. If Jeff Vangundy was the coach, I can see your argument but Thibs is in a category all by himself. Brown collaborates and listens to his coaches / players. Has a deeper rotation and a new voice. Can’t change the entire team but changing the head coach will disrupt and change the culture. Also puts the pressure back on the players.

2. The reason why there were defensive teams in the finals is because they had defensive players. One thing Thibs taught all of us, you can’t turn offensive players into defenders. But you can make offensive players more efficient. Brown is a better two way coach.

If we want to say defensive teams win championships, then point the finger at Leon if you want. Since Leon built this team around two defensively challenged players (KAT and JB) might as well get the most out of them on offense and your defensive wings / players will continue to play defense. Brown and his staff will coach both sides and provide a better offense at the same time. Can’t say that about Thibs offense or defense.

Personally I would’ve just added one or two top offensive coordinators to the coaching staff and brought Thibs back. But I can’t question Leon who’s been great at his decision making. I’m glad people think brown is the same. That’s because they both preach defense. It’s the offensive side that separates them.

GustavBahler @ 7/4/2025 8:57 AM
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/4564...

A month after the New York Knicks elected to move on from coach Tom Thibodeau, who led the team to its first conference finals in a quarter-century, the franchise is expected to hire two-time Coach of the Year Mike Brown, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania. The Knicks and Brown -- who has previously guided the Cleveland Cavaliers (twice), Los Angeles Lakers and Sacramento Kings with a long run as the Golden State Warriors' associate head coach -- are expected to reach an agreement in the coming days.

Knicks president Leon Rose made his expectations crystal clear in the first sentence of his statement announcing Thibodeau's dismissal, stating: "Our organization is singularly focused on winning a championship for our fans."

That is now the bar Brown inherits. But a highly talented roster that will be one of the clear favorites in a weakened Eastern Conference makes the expectations somewhat manageable -- for now. But what shifts will Brown implement in hopes of taking this team further than Thibodeau, who reached the playoffs in four of his five seasons and led the Knicks to back-to-back 50-win campaigns for the first time since the mid-1990s?

Here are four key differences the 55-year-old Brown brings that Rose, team owner Jim Dolan and the club's legion of fans are hoping can propel New York back to the promised land after 52 years of waiting

A far less ironclad rotation

Kings third-year wing Keon Ellis, a fan favorite in Sacramento because of his defensive impact, was just two weeks removed from a career-best 33-point showing.

But on Dec. 3, one game after he committed a frustration foul 90 feet from the basket that gave the San Antonio Spurs two free throws in the final second of a quarter -- the Kings lost that night by two points -- Brown sat Ellis. In the following game, Ellis played just two minutes.

The underlying message from Brown: Even with Ellis showing clear progress in his career, he needed to be smarter around the margins.

It's worth noting that Brown was obviously under duress last season, particularly in December before his firing. But between the way he handled Ellis and his decision to move Kevin Huerter out of the starting lineup after the guard struggled in the first half of the season, Brown showed a willingness to shake up his lineups, particularly if the Kings were mired in a funk.

"Sometimes mixing it up may bring a better end result because the pieces are different in terms of the rotation and the pieces fit better in terms of the rotation," Brown told reporters in his final media session as the Kings' coach.

That's obviously noteworthy as Brown joins the Knicks, who last season leaned on their starting five more than any other team in the league. Setting aside the heavy workload, New York's starting five of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart and OG Anunoby got outscored from Jan. 1 to the end of the regular season, then was outscored during the postseason.

That raises more questions about the viability of keeping that group together for such long stretches, particularly when other lineups with reserves Miles McBride and Mitchell Robinson often performed better because of the extra space, defense or rebounding they provided.

Brown could bring unique pace-and-space offense to New York

Like Thibodeau, Brown has long been seen as one of the league's foremost defensive minds.

But in Sacramento, where he coached after his stint as an assistant with the Warriors, his offenses looked quite different from what much of the NBA was doing, particularly early in his tenure with the Kings.

Aside from playing up-tempo as a result of De'Aaron Fox's blistering speed, the team also used a handoff-heavy offense with star center Domantas Sabonis as a hub and playmaker while wings such as Huerter and Keegan Murray zoomed toward the ball, leaving opposing defenses exhausted and befuddled as stoppers tried, and often failed, to get around Sabonis' screens.

It was the epitome of pace and space. In some ways, it was a creative variation of what made those title-winning Warriors teams -- Brown was with the franchise for their 2017 and 2018 championship runs -- so difficult to stop. In Brown's first season, the Kings broke their 16-year playoff drought behind a flurry of 3-pointers and the best offensive efficiency in league history at the time, at 118.6 points per 100 possessions.

And having coached everyone from LeBron James to Kobe Bryant to Stephen Curry to Fox, Brown is no stranger to the idea of one-on-one basketball in the clutch. Upon beginning work with the Knicks, Brown will have coached all three players -- Fox, Curry and Brunson -- who have won Clutch Player of the Year. (The Kings, who were so good in tight games in 2022-23 and decent in 2023-24, had piled up a league-worst 13 clutch losses at the time Brown was let go last season. Having Brunson will help there.)

Yet part of what Brown will be tasked with in New York is finding ways to get more out of Bridges and Anunoby, who were Nos. 1 and 2 in the NBA in corner 3-pointers attempted last season. They can certainly score and be effective from the corners, but with Bridges being one of the most efficient midrange players last season and Anunoby having the physical strength he does, is that duo capable of doing more on offense?

Similarly, what counter will Brown have when teams seek to stifle Towns by guarding him with a quicker forward -- like the Detroit Pistons did against the Knicks in the first round -- as opposed to a center? Is it a lineup adjustment with the new-look bench, or is there a scheme he can implement?

Brown has challenged his stars to play defense

Upon getting the Kings' head coaching job in 2022, one of Brown's first orders of business was to speak with Fox. It was a refresher of when he coached Fox during an elite high school basketball camp.

"I thought he was going to be a premier guard defensively because of his quickness, athleticism and tenacity. His ability to guard the ball was unbelievable," Brown said in an interview during his first season in Sacramento.

Brown made a point to tell Fox he could become a great two-way player -- something Fox showed at times during a 48-34 playoff season.

Brown obviously wasn't the first NBA coach to push that sort of button -- the man he coached under with Golden State, Steve Kerr, used a similar approach with Curry when Kerr first took over the Warriors in 2015 en route to winning the first of four titles. But the approach was interesting and potentially makes it worth watching how Brown deals with Brunson, who was targeted relentlessly during the Knicks' run to the conference finals.

Brunson defended a total of 123 pick-and-rolls as the screener defender against the Indiana Pacers during the six-game conference finals series, per Genius IQ. That was nearly quadrupled from the year before, when Brunson was forced to defend just 32 pick-and-rolls over seven semifinal games against Indiana.

Brunson doesn't have the athleticism or wingspan that Fox does and carried a disproportionately heavy offensive burden, handling the ball an NBA-high 8.6 minutes per game this past season. But Brown's thoughts about how to use Brunson defensively -- especially in tandem with Towns, who also was targeted on defense throughout his first season in New York -- could go a long way in determining whether the Knicks end their title drought.

Brown has criticized his players -- individually and publicly

In the postgame news conference that followed Brown's final game as Kings coach -- a 114-113 home loss to the Pistons in which Fox fouled Detroit's Jaden Ivey on a winning 4-point play in the closing seconds -- the coach gave reporters a step-by-step rundown of everything his players did wrong on the deciding play.

"First of all, we told our guys: 'If somebody catches [the ball] and their back is to the basket, foul them.' And then they dribbled for eight seconds and we didn't foul them," Brown said. "The second thing is, if you're up three, just guard your guy at the 3-point line [and ignore the drive] -- there should be no closeout opportunity. No closeout opportunity. Because they know the only thing that can hurt us is a 3."

Brown said he'd have to watch the film to understand why Fox lunged at Ivey but added that there should have been "no reason for there to be a hard closeout" on the play. (By contrast, following a one-point loss to Chicago last November, in which Hart fouled Chicago's Coby White on a 3-pointer in the closing seconds, Thibodeau had a muted reaction when asked about the play, presumably to avoid saying anything critical of one of his starters.)


But the loss to Detroit wasn't the only time Brown was publicly critical or at least asking more of his players. Last preseason, for instance, after guard Mason Jones committed a pair of careless, costly turnovers down the stretch of a scrimmage, Brown concluded the workout by shouting at his players about being more detail oriented and holding their teammates accountable to make sure such plays didn't happen.

Specifically, in his media session with reporters shortly after that, he called out Fox, Sabonis and six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan, saying they needed to be the ones to call out those mishaps. Whether good or bad, it would appear to mark a difference from Thibodeau.

So many questions face the Knicks' new coach, and plenty more will arise once the season begins. Based on what the organization has claimed as its singular goal, at some point we'll have a definitive answer about whether Brown was the right choice to succeed Thibodeau.

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