New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown was encouraged by his team’s 117-101 win over the Toronto Raptors in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.
“We’re starting to figure out who we are,” Brown told reporters after the game. “Early in the season, we had a lot of injuries during the preseason, so I didn’t have a good feel for this team, or as good a feel as I needed to have, and that’s part of the reason why we [have struggled] on the road.”
The Knicks boast the second-best record in the Eastern Conference (17-7), and they’re only two games back of the first-place Detroit Pistons. It’s not as though Brown has had a rocky introduction in his first year at the helm.
The veteran coach nonetheless believes the Knicks “still have a lot of room to grow on both sides of the floor,” particularly on defense.
Offense won the night Tuesday at Scotiabank Arena. New York shot 52.5 percent from the field and went 16-of-35 on three-pointers. All five of Brown’s starters scored in double figures, with Jalen Brunson’s 35 points leading the way. Karl-Anthony Towns also had a double-double with 14 points and 16 rebounds.
Winning the NBA Cup hasn’t provided a larger boost to the first two champions. The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks both went on to lose in the first round of the playoffs.
But the Knicks’ NBA Cup run is part of a wider trend. They’ve notched eight wins in their last nine games.
Rumors linking New York to Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo have picked up steam with the two-time MVP once again reassessing his options.
Nothing indicates a blockbuster trade between the Knicks and Bucks is imminent, and the recent performances of Brown’s squad give the front office less reason to pursue that avenue. New York might already have enough to challenge for a title.