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New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown focused on execution lapses after a 107-106 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 2 on Monday at Madison Square Garden.
“You know, we just got to lock in a little bit better in a playoff game,” Brown said. “It’s tough to win against a good team when you shoot 60 percent from the free-throw line in a one-possession game.”
The Knicks went 17-for-27 at the line and committed 14 turnovers that led to 18 Atlanta points, a gap that proved decisive in a one-point defeat.
“We missed ten free throws. In a one-possession game, we have 14 turnovers for 18 points,” Brown said. “So you know that’s how they beat us in transition was off our turnovers.”
Atlanta erased a 12-point deficit entering the fourth quarter, fueled by transition chances and late-game shot-making from CJ McCollum, who scored 32 points.
“We had some bad turnovers that led to some early baskets for those guys in transition,” Brown said. “So we have to do a better job taking care of the ball.”
Despite the loss, New York controlled the glass with 47 rebounds and limited Atlanta to six offensive boards, an area Brown acknowledged.
“One of the things that we talked about was boxing out,” he said. “We did a nice job boxing out. We have to keep putting bodies on bodies.”
The game turned in the final minutes when Atlanta’s aggression increased, including multiple 50/50 plays in the fourth quarter.
“In that fourth quarter too, you could tell that they were playing with a desperate level of desperation,” Brown said. “They were going for 50/50 balls and they got three of them.”
New York had chances late, including a final possession where Mikal Bridges missed a jumper at the buzzer.
“We got some pretty good looks. We got the ball in the right people’s hands down the stretch and we just didn’t convert,” Brown said.
On the final sequence, Brown stood by the decision not to call a timeout earlier in transition.
“I usually like to go so they can’t put in their best defenders,” he said. “I thought it was a good shot. Mikal got up the floor. I thought he got a good spot. He was a little off balance.”
Jalen Brunson finished with 29 points on 10-for-26 shooting and attempted seven free throws, a number Brown questioned.
“Jalen’s driving and he’s getting the same contact… he’s getting knocked away from the bucket,” Brown said. “I thought he could have got to the free-throw line a couple more times.”
Brown also credited McCollum’s late execution in isolation sets.
“They hit their shots, we missed our shots,” he said. “You give a guy like CJ a lot of credit… he got it done down the stretch.”
The series is now tied 1-1, shifting to Atlanta for Game 3, with Brown emphasizing a steady approach.
“The reality of it is it’s a seven game series,” he said. “You got to keep taking it one possession at a time, one game at a time… for us, we’re going to go win on the road.”
