New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown addressed multiple Game 1 themes during his press conference on Thursday, June 4, ahead of Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. The focus centered on rotation impact, defensive execution, and pace control after New York’s 105-95 win in the series opener.
Asked about Josh’s all-around influence despite scoring just three points in Game 1, Brown was direct in his evaluation. “Yeah, he was huge. He helped us with our pace,” Brown said. He added, “We want to play fast. Everybody knows it. It’s hard to score as you go along in the playoffs.”
Brown expanded on how that role shaped possessions. “And so you try to get the ball up the floor as quickly as possible to attack a defense that’s not set. And Josh was phenomenal helping us do that,” he said. He also highlighted defensive value, stating, “He guarded a lot of different guys,” and emphasizing discipline: “He tried to be physical without fouling.”
Rebounding and off-ball defense were also central to the coach’s assessment. “And then he just rebounded the basketball. He was great. He was great on the weak side defensively,” Brown said. “He impacted the game in so many different ways for us that when you look at what he shot from the field, you wouldn’t think that he was probably the most impactful guy and won the game last night.”
Brown also credited short-minute contributions from another bench piece during a key stretch. “He was huge,” he said when discussing 11 minutes played by Jose Alvarado. “When Jalen went out of the game, he came in and he kind of stabilized us because we were floundering a little bit. And he got us into our offense. He was really, really good defensively.”
On team defense, Brown pointed to consistent execution from New York Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns. “KAT’s been really present with everything that we’re doing,” he said. “When you’re present, you give yourself a chance to really lock in to the small details that are in front of you.” He added, “Last night, he was really good in transition. Probably transition defensively, he probably was one of the best he’s been all season.”
Brown also addressed the challenge posed by Victor Wembanyama. “You’re not going to stop him. You hope he misses,” he said. “But you got to throw different people, different coverages at him. And you got to try not to send him to the free throw line.”
On perimeter shooting variance in Game 1, Brown described a strategic trade-off. “We always want to try to get a little bit better with what we’re doing, including the three-point line,” he said. “But at the end of the day, this team, they’ll kill you if you allow their guards… to get into the paint and finish.”
He continued: “If I had to pick my poison, I’d take a late contested three by their guards just because they’re so good when they hit the paint.” Brown also referenced past series evidence, adding, “We saw it in the Oklahoma City series. So, we’re going to have to try to be better at it.”
Brown was also asked about matchup targeting and late-game hunting. “We talk about all that stuff,” he said. “It starts with those guys. Our advanced scouts do a great job.” He described a shared process involving staff and players, noting, “It’s a collective effort. We get input from the players.”
On fan impact during the Finals road environment, Brown pointed to energy transfer. “It’s huge,” he said. “To have the type of fans that we do… that gives you a boost knowing that you got some people here supporting you at a pretty high level.”
Game 2 tips off Friday in San Antonio, with the Knicks leading the series 1-0.
