The Knicks injury report wasn’t quite complete. They might need to create a new one for non-players.
Coach Mike Brown tweaked his calf while trying to call timeout in the final seconds of regulation during the 115-104 overtime win over the Cavaliers in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden.
As Sam Merrill’s potential go-ahead 3-pointer somehow rimmed out and Mikal Bridges corralled the rebound with just over a second left, Brown basically sprinted onto the court and jumped up and down in an attempt to get the referee’s attention to call timeout. But the referee did not grant him the timeout, and Bridges had to settle for a heave that did not come close, sending the game to overtime.
Knicks coach Mike Brown speaking to the ref as the end of the fourth quarter of Game 1. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Brown could be seen limping following one of his wild leaps. Then there he was, hunched over with his hands on his knees near midcourt as the buzzer sounded. Assistant coach Rick Brunson came over and put his arm around him while also complaining to the referee that the timeout wasn’t given.
“It’s all right,” Brown said of his calf after practice Wednesday. “I’m good to go.”
And it could’ve been a whole lot worse.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown with assistant coach Rick Brunson after trying to call a timeout at the end of the fourth quarter. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“I would’ve blown my Achilles out if I didn’t have on my P.F. Flyers. I had on my P.F. Flyers, so they help give me the support I need,” Brown said, sounding like a spokesperson. “It’s old school.”
Anunoby notably scored nine of the Knicks’ 14 points in overtime.
“He was out for a little bit,” Brown said. “The speed of the game and the competitiveness of the game is a lot different than coming back in the regular season. So to get an opportunity for him to find his way and still get a win was huge for us. Because as the game went along, he did get better. Down the stretch, he was huge.”
Does that give them a sense of how the Cavaliers are feeling right about now?
“We know that they’re gonna be ready to go,” Jalen Brunson said Wednesday. “Being able to steal one at [our] home, after the way they played most of the game, we know that they’re definitely gonna be ready to do.”