DALLAS Mike Brown has everything charted, ready to recite and analyze after the final buzzer. He has the number of drive-and-kicks, for instance, or “sprays,” as Brown calls them. He has deflections. He has verticalities. He has a handwritten minutes sheet to consult during games for his substitutions. He’s uber-organized, not coincidentally as the son of a military father, and there are defined rules about playing his preferred style. It’s a contradiction, in some ways. Brown wants the Knicks to adopt a freestylin’ offense without a playbook, but he also wants compliance with his tenets. Play free, but play fast, and make sure you’re rebounding, passing and dribbling within these charted guidelines.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/20/sports/what-josh-harts-chaos-brings-to-mike-browns-careful-knicks-plans/
Tag: mike brown
Mike Brown knows it will ‘take some time’ for true evaluation of Knicks
Mike Brown: Knicks Need More Time for True Evaluation
CHICAGO – Mike Brown says he needs another month before he can accurately judge both his team and the rest of the NBA.
“It’ll take some time,” the coach explained. “It’s hard to get a true evaluation in the first five to 10 games. I think y’all have been in this league long enough — the first month or month and a half, everybody feels like they have a chance, and guys are playing hard and engaged. Sometimes you have teams that are on top early, but they’re not going to finish on top.
“Because teams are trying to find their way. So we’re just evaluating not just [one player], but everybody. Not just the defense, but the offense too. Keep doing that. Come about December or end of November, we should have a pretty good feel.”
Knicks’ Current Standings and Team Adjustments
Check out the latest NBA standings and Knicks stats.
The Knicks are adjusting to a new coach but benefit from continuity, with the top seven players in the rotation returning from last season. Heading into their Halloween matchup against the Bulls, they hold a 2-2 record while ranked 24th in offense and seventh in defense.
“I think we’ve been pretty good defensively for some quarters and parts of the game,” said Jalen Brunson. “We haven’t played a full 48 minutes of offense or defense.”
Draymond Green Skeptical of Knicks as Contenders
Meanwhile, Draymond Green expressed doubts about the Knicks’ ability to contend this season. On his podcast, Green said, “I just don’t believe they’re contenders. I don’t think they have what it takes to win at the highest level. I think you can stifle their offense and make it hard on them. And I just think that ultimately, guys that don’t want to defend, it makes it tough to win at the highest level.”
Though Green did not call out any players by name, many associate the remarks with his longstanding criticism of Karl-Anthony Towns, who has frequently been questioned for his defense. Last season, Green accused Towns of faking an injury to avoid guarding Jimmy Butler; in reality, Towns was attending the funeral of a family friend.
Josh Hart’s Struggles and Brunson’s Support
Josh Hart has been struggling with his shooting after injuries to his finger and back. His close friend and teammate, Jalen Brunson, encouraged him to block out the criticism.
“One thing he does: when he’s locked in and he’s working on everything and he’s focused, it’s a different Josh, and you’ve seen it,” Brunson said. “When we get back to that, it’s just not listening to the outside noise. The fans are talking or whatever, and it’s impossible not to see it, but who gives a crap? People are gonna say what they want to say regardless of if we’re playing well or not.”
Through three games this season, Hart is averaging just 3.7 points on 22 percent shooting overall and 11 percent from three-point range.
Knicks Urged To Pursue Blockbuster Trade for Two-Time MVP
The New York Knicks have opened their season looking every bit like a title favorite, outworking the Boston Celtics in a 105-95 win on Friday to move to 2-0. New head coach Mike Brown has quickly instilled his identity: toughness, rebounding, and possession control. But one analyst believes the Knicks still have another level to reach.
In his latest Bleacher Report column, Greg Swartz urged the Knicks to explore a blockbuster trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, calling him the kind of superstar who could make New York the clear favorite in the East.
### The Report: Knicks Still on Giannis’ Short List
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Knicks were the only team outside of Milwaukee that Antetokounmpo expressed interest in joining before trade talks cooled in August. Swartz noted that pairing Giannis with Jalen Brunson would give the Knicks two of the NBA’s top-10 players—a combination that immediately shifts the franchise into championship-or-bust territory.
While the Knicks have every reason to be thrilled with their current roster, the chance to land a player of Antetokounmpo’s caliber remains a dream worth keeping alive.
### Why Giannis Fits New York’s Identity
The Knicks under Brown are built around physicality and extra possessions—a blueprint Giannis would thrive in. After Friday’s win, Brown emphasized that “it’s about the possession game,” highlighting his team’s dominance on the boards even without Mitchell Robinson.
“Because everybody is so talented offensively. You just got to try to find ways to generate more possessions,” Brown said.
Giannis embodies that exact mentality: effort, energy, and relentlessness. Alongside Brunson’s control and scoring mastery, Antetokounmpo’s two-way dominance could create a nearly unstoppable inside-out dynamic.
Swartz also noted that swapping Karl-Anthony Towns in a potential Giannis deal would mean a massive defensive upgrade, aligning with Brown’s early-season focus on toughness and interior presence.
### What a Trade Could Look Like
Landing Antetokounmpo would take an enormous package—likely a mix of rotation talent and long-term assets. The Milwaukee Bucks would only consider moving their two-time MVP if they decided to reset around a younger core.
The Knicks still have the pieces to make it interesting. Between key contributors like OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson, and Mikal Bridges, New York could construct a deal built on proven talent rather than draft capital.
### The Bigger Picture for the Knicks
The Knicks look poised for their best season in years. They’ve opened 2-0, dominated the glass, and looked cohesive under a coach who values effort as much as execution.
But even amid early success, the pursuit of Giannis Antetokounmpo represents something larger—a vision of what New York basketball could become. Giannis is more than a star; he’s a culture-changer.
For a team already built on grit and structure, his arrival would mark the beginning of something bigger—the moment when the Knicks stop climbing and start ruling.
And if that door ever opens again, New York will be ready to walk through it.
https://heavy.com/sports/nba/new-york-knicks/giannis-antetokounmpo-milwaukee-bucks-knicks-nba/