Knicks Coach Mike Brown Criticizes Team's Lack of Physicality After 0-2 Start

Following a disheartening 107-103 defeat against the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown has called out his team's lack of physicality, a recurring issue that has contributed to their 0-2 start to the season. This mirrors the struggles of the 2011 Dallas Mavericks, who were the last defending champions to begin their season with consecutive losses.

Brown emphasized that while shooting struggles are expected to resolve, the team's inability or unwillingness to effectively fight through screens is a more pressing concern. He noted that this deficiency was particularly evident against the Celtics, where opponents exploited mismatches by setting screens that the Knicks failed to navigate properly. This led to defensive breakdowns and allowed opposing players, such as Jayson Tatum who scored 36 points, to capitalize.

"It was a physical ballgame and [the Celtics] had the advantage out there with the physicality," Brown stated. He elaborated that the team's tendency to "lay on the screen" rather than fight through it results in defensive switches that create unfavorable matchups. This issue, he stressed, is critical regardless of whether the screens are deemed legal or illegal.

The defensive struggles have been apparent in both of the Knicks' opening games. Following Tatum's high-scoring performance, Tyrese Maxey had previously scored 28 points against New York in their first game. The team's point-of-attack defense has been suspect, with defensive specialist OG Anunoby posting the worst defensive rating among the starters through the first two contests. Another key defender, Mikal Bridges, was benched for a significant portion of the game against Boston due to a shooting slump.

The Knicks' offensive performance also suffered due to their physicality issues, leading to 18 turnovers compared to the Celtics' 11. Brown pointed out that attempts to drive to the basket were often thwarted by the Celtics' physicality, resulting in players falling, turnovers in the paint, or forced passes.

"When we tried to drive the basketball, we either fell on the ground and there was no call, or when we got in the paint, and they brought a second guy they had us either jumping in the air and turning it over, or they had us on the heels, trying to make sprays. And it was just because they got us in our bodies," Brown explained. "There was a level of physicality that Boston brought to the table that caused us to have 18 turnovers on the road compared to their 11 turnovers. It’s going to be tough to win."

Looking ahead, the Knicks are set to host the Orlando Magic, who also enter their matchup with an 0-2 record. Brown divides the season into five-game segments and aims for specific performance benchmarks within each. He indicated that failure to meet these targets, particularly starting with a losing record in the initial segment, suggests that players are not reaching their full potential.