The Knicks keep changing identities — and it could win them a championship
· Yahoo Sports
CLEVELAND — Remember the easy offense the Knicks generated against the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers? The high-post actions with wings feasting off backdoor cuts that made Karl-Anthony Towns look like one of the Gasol brothers?
Visit umafrika.club for more information.
It’s gone. Taken away by a Cavaliers defense trying its best to slow down the buzzsaw that’s become the Knicks offense.
Towns recorded two triple-doubles over the final three games against the Atlanta Hawks and averaged 7.5 assists in the second round against the Philadelphia 76ers. Entering Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks’ All-Star big man had just six assists against seven turnovers against the Cavaliers. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen have clogged passing lanes once wide open in earlier rounds.
And guess what? The Knicks still won both games in decisive fashion: First came the 22-point comeback fueled by a 44-11 run in Game 1. Then came a convincing 16-point victory in Game 2 to take a commanding 2-0 series lead.
The Knicks are far from a one-trick pony. They’ve toggled between multiple offensive identities in Year 1 under Mike Brown — and they’ve needed every version of themselves to get this close to the franchise’s first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
Playoff basketball is about taking away a team’s first option. Sometimes its second option, too. For the Knicks, however, the best option is whatever the defense is willing to surrender.
In Game 1, Cleveland dared Josh Hart to beat them from deep. Hart couldn’t capitalize early, so Brown handed the keys back to Jalen Brunson, who responded with a 38-point masterpiece.
In Game 2, the Cavaliers continued leaving Hart open. He missed his first three attempts from downtown before drilling five triples, while Brunson pivoted from scorer to facilitator and finished with a playoff career-high 14 assists.
“That’s the blessing of our group,” Towns said after shootaround at Rocket Arena on Saturday. “We have multiple ways and systems that we can utilize to help us get the win. I’ve been happy because we’ve continued to win.”
That flexibility didn’t appear overnight.
The Knicks opened Brown’s first season running offense primarily through Brunson. Then Brown shifted the offense toward Hart, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby after the Knicks spiraled into a nine-losses-in-11-games stretch shortly after winning the NBA Cup Final against the San Antonio Spurs.
Then came another pivot.
When the Knicks fell behind 2-1 in the first round against Atlanta, Brown reshaped the offense again, this time elevating Towns into the primary facilitator role. The adjustment changed the series — and it saved the Knicks’ season.
Now, against the barbecue-chicken backcourt of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, Brown has shifted back toward Brunson as the offensive engine. The Knicks have become exactly what Brown envisioned when he installed his read-and-react system in training camp: unpredictable.
“I think whatever [the defense] is, you kind of have a counter for it,” Bridges said Saturday. “And everybody be ready. Five guys who can play on-ball and off-ball, so I think it’s just to be able to keep everybody honest and just read and react.”
It’s the kind of offensive elasticity Brown witnessed firsthand during his years on Steve Kerr’s staff with the dynastic Golden State Warriors. Yes, those teams had Hall of Famers everywhere, but the brilliance of Kerr’s system was its unpredictability. Anybody could lead the scoring on any given night — until the moment demanded greatness from Stephen Curry or Kevin Durant.
The Knicks may not have four Hall of Famers. But they do have a deep, versatile roster that requires a free-flowing offense to maximize every weapon at Brown’s disposal.
The process wasn’t always smooth. During the regular season, the Knicks often looked disjointed offensively. Possessions stalled. Roles fluctuated. The fit looked awkward at times.
Now, two wins from the NBA Finals, the offense looks sharper than ever. No player better embodies those fluctuations than Brunson, who has fluctuated between lead star and co-star — between elite scorer and selfless playmaker.
“I think it’s an advantage for us, learning how to play differently,” Brunson said after Game 2. “There are going to be times where one game plan is going to be different than the next. Being able to learn on the fly and adjust on the fly is something that we need to continue to get better at, but I think we’ve been doing a great job with it.”
Towns went from offensive afterthought to centerpiece. Bridges has rediscovered his scoring touch after one of the least productive regular seasons of his career. Hart has become both screener and spacer. Anunoby morphs between elite defender and secondary scorer depending on the matchup.
The Hawks and Sixers tried taking away Brunson. Cleveland is trying to limit Towns. The Knicks don’t care.
They’ll simply pivot to something else, as they’ve done all season, in preparation for the very games that could lift the franchise to its first title since 1973.
“I think you have to just take it game by game. [Teams] are going to make adjustments, and you have to have to stay solid to who you are as a team and a foundation,” said Miles McBride. “But when your opponent makes an adjustment, you have to adjust and adapt and figure it out.
“So I feel like that’s why we get paid what we get paid. So we have to adapt in the moment.”