Mike Brown, the head coach of the New York Knicks, acknowledged that his team was in a defensive zone against the Trail Blazers in Sunday's 123-114 win. "I thought our guys handled the officiating fantastic," he said, attributing their success to maintaining composure despite being on the wrong end of a contentious matchup.
Brown, who had previously been vocal about his disappointment with the Knicks' frequent verbal exchanges with referees, acknowledged that his players took this approach differently in Sunday's game. "It starts with you guys" - referring to veteran players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns - "you have to leave the officials alone so everybody else falls in line." He commended his team for staying focused and composed under pressure.
The Knicks' fourth quarter defense was a turning point in the game. After struggling with this aspect in recent weeks, Brown praised their ability to shift momentum with timely stops. This confidence boost enabled them to outmaneuver opponents both on offense and defense.
In terms of stats, the team's 12 turnovers were fewer than in nearly 90% of their games this season, a marked improvement from the previous half. The coach attributed this reduction in mistakes to his players' collective effort at halting fast breaks during the second half. By minimizing errors, they prevented the opposing team from capitalizing on scoring opportunities and took control of the game.
The Knicks' success was largely built on their ability to maintain focus and composure under pressure. This newfound discipline had a profound impact on their performance, ultimately leading to a hard-fought victory.
Brown, who had previously been vocal about his disappointment with the Knicks' frequent verbal exchanges with referees, acknowledged that his players took this approach differently in Sunday's game. "It starts with you guys" - referring to veteran players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Karl-Anthony Towns - "you have to leave the officials alone so everybody else falls in line." He commended his team for staying focused and composed under pressure.
The Knicks' fourth quarter defense was a turning point in the game. After struggling with this aspect in recent weeks, Brown praised their ability to shift momentum with timely stops. This confidence boost enabled them to outmaneuver opponents both on offense and defense.
In terms of stats, the team's 12 turnovers were fewer than in nearly 90% of their games this season, a marked improvement from the previous half. The coach attributed this reduction in mistakes to his players' collective effort at halting fast breaks during the second half. By minimizing errors, they prevented the opposing team from capitalizing on scoring opportunities and took control of the game.
The Knicks' success was largely built on their ability to maintain focus and composure under pressure. This newfound discipline had a profound impact on their performance, ultimately leading to a hard-fought victory.