Mike Brown is excited about the potential and the pressure of being Knicks coach
He's excited about all of it.
The new Knicks coach shook off any concerns about taking over a team that fired Tom Thibodeau despite getting two wins from the NBA Finals, pointing to the positives Tuesday that made him want the job.
'Nobody has any bigger expectations, first of all, than I do. I mean, my expectations are high,' Brown said. 'But this is the Knicks. I talked about Madison Square Garden being iconic. You talk about our fans. I love and embrace the expectations that come along with it, so I'm looking forward to it.'
Brown was hired a little more than a month after the Knicks surprisingly fired Thibodeau despite getting to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years. Brown didn't want to talk too much about that decision, nor the Sacramento Kings' choice to fire him last season.
'First of all, Tom's a tremendous coach and he is a friend of mine, but I don't want to get to the past,' Brown said. 'I'm just excited about the roster. I'm excited about the things that we're going to put in place here and where we could go with the guys that we have.'
The Knicks went 51-31 last season and have one of the strongest starting fives in the league, headlined by All-NBA selections Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. They would have gone into next season as one of the favorites in the East if they brought back their same team.
Instead, team president Leon Rose and owner James Dolan decided they needed to change coaches as they continue searching for their first championship since 1973.
'Our goal, starting with Mr. Dolan to Leon to the players all the way down to the fans, is to build a sustainable, winning culture that produces championships. That's why I'm here,' Brown said. 'I'm fortunate to know what it takes to create that success: a lot of hard work, a high level of commitment and a focus on today.'
Brown talked about wanting to win and called New York 'a great place that has like thinking.' He is eager to build a partnership with Rose, the former player agent who represented LeBron James when he played for Brown in Cleveland.
'And then looking at the roster and the reality of it is, Ro said, 'We better move to New York because I'm a foodie,' Brown said, referring to his fiancee who was seated in the front row. 'So when you combine all those things, it was a no-brainer for me.'
Brown is 454-304 in 11 seasons, winning NBA Coach of the Year honors in 2009 with Cleveland and 2023 in Sacramento, when he led the Kings to the playoffs for the first time since 2006. They fired him 1 1/2 seasons later.
The Knicks equally valued his success as an assistant coach, winning an NBA title in 2003 under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio and three more championships under Steve Kerr in Golden State. He also led the Nigerian team to an upset victory over the U.S. in a pre-Olympic exhibition game in 2021.
'When I was in San Antonio with David (Robinson) and Tim (Duncan), it was about playing inside-out, and now fast-forward to my time with Steve it's about pace and space and that's where the game is,' Brown said. 'If you can't evolve you're going to get left behind, and so I feel like I'm trying to do that and hopefully we'll be able to bring some of that here.'
Winnipeg Jets Game Days
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.
Brown believes he takes over a team that can play fast like he prefers, but also has the versatility to play other styles thanks to Brunson. He added that the Knicks' success in the postseason shows their potential.
The road to go even further next season is open for the Knicks, with Indiana and Boston likely to be weakened after stars Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum sustained Achilles tendon injuries in the postseason. But Brown said there is plenty of work to do.
'They're a lot of good teams out there. Doesn't matter if those guys are injured or not,' Brown said. 'At the end of the day, teams are going to find ways to win. So we don't feel like it's going to be any easier just because of injuries.'
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
34 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Blue Bombers back the Sea Bears
If you've been to a few Winnipeg Sea Bears games, chances are you've seen a Blue Bomber or two sitting near courtside taking in the action. You can bet on seeing a few Friday night at the Canada Life Centre when the Sea Bears host the Calgary Surge in the CEBL Western Conference final. 'It's just nice having that option to do something other than football. We have other sports teams here in the city, but the Sea Bears bring a lot of people out, especially downtown at the arena, and the atmosphere is electric,' said Bombers defensive end Willie Jefferson. 'Basketball is a big sport in Manitoba, and I grew up playing basketball, loving basketball. It was my first sport, really, and I just love to see the game.' John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS files Bombers DE Willie Jefferson hoops it up in the off season in a local men's league. Jefferson isn't the only member of the Blue and Gold who took to the hardwood before stepping on the gridiron. The only reason right guard Patrick Neufeld strapped on a helmet for the first time in Grade 11 was because his high school football coach told him it would be a good way to get in shape for basketball season. 'It tricked me, and it worked,' said Neufeld, who was a provincial team player in Saskatchewan. 'I was relatively tall for a Regina dude. Obviously, I was a little skinnier back then and I loved basketball. I hilariously had a recruiting offer from Medicine Hat College to play basketball there. But after I played one season of football, I was better at football than I ever was at basketball so it kind of turned into a no-brainer and I'm glad I stuck with it.' There were early signs that he'd be a better fit in the trenches than in the paint. 'I had five fouls and I made sure I used all of them because you don't get to save them,' said Neufeld. It was the opposite for left tackle Stanley Bryant who got into football first, but if you're a big kid from North Carolina, you don't have much of a choice but to play basketball at some point. 'I played AAU in Grade 10 or 11. We went to a tournament in Greensboro, N.C., and I had a chance to play against (future NBA hall of famer) Chris Paul and P.J. Tucker (a 14-year NBA vet who won a title with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021). I mean, we got smoked, but it was a good experience,' recalled Bryant. 'It was fun, but back then, we didn't have social media or none of that, so I didn't really know who those guys were. I might've heard about Chris Paul on YouTube beforehand, but I didn't know who P.J. Tucker was at all. He wasn't that good, so at the end of the game, he was trying to cross me up, and I remember this vividly, I didn't let it happen.' Jefferson, who hails from Beaumont, Texas, also battled with some future NBA all-stars on the AAU circuit in Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. The 6-7 power forward — who still shows off his shot-blocking ability today as he leads the CFL with nine pass knockdowns and believes his basketball background is a key reason for that — had schools across The Lone Star State inquiring about his services, including the University of Houston, but ultimately decided football was his path to stardom. Now living year-round in Winnipeg, Jefferson, does, however, still make time in the off-season to get buckets. Earlier this year, he signed up for senior men's hoops in the Peg City League where he teamed up with some locals to win the top division. In five games, Jefferson averaged 11.4 points and 10 rebounds per game. 'It was cool, I'd walk in and guys would be like 'Is that Willie Jefferson?' I'd play the four or five (position) and there would always be one guy from the other team that's trying to bang with me, and I'd be like 'C'mon now, I'm not trying to go too hard with you,'' said Jefferson. 'And they'd be like 'Yeah, man, let's do it' and I'd have to turn it on a little bit.' They'd usually regret it. Jefferson put a few unlucky opponents on posters. 'Oh, most definitely. I dunked on a couple of guys,' said Jefferson. 'I'm not going to say any names, but it was fun.' If defensive back Dexter Lawson Jr. had Jefferson's height, there's a chance he'd be knocking down shots somewhere today. An all-state player out of Connecticut in both sports, Lawson led Thomas More High School to the state final in his senior year. 'We ended up losing the championship on a last second layup. The week before was really good, I was on a high, I scored 34 points in the semifinal to give us the go ahead to go to the championship, and then the week after that, to lose that way, I was heartbroken,' said Lawson. 'I still think about that today.' Despite his post-season heroics, measuring in at 5-10 didn't open to many doors. He ended up becoming a standout corner at Central Connecticut State and Appalachian State prior to breaking into the CFL in 2023 with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'I tell guys I'm still a basketball player that just plays football,' said Lawson. As for head coach Mike O'Shea, he dabbled with the bouncing orange ball as well when he was growing up and embraced the Dennis Rodman role of cleaning up the glass. You just better not have asked him to score. 'I was terrible,' said O'Shea. 'If you passed me the ball, I was going to zing it right back at you.' Taylor AllenReporter Taylor Allen is a sports reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. Taylor was the Vince Leah intern in the Free Press newsroom twice while earning his joint communications degree/diploma at the University of Winnipeg and Red River College Polytechnic. He signed on full-time in 2019 and mainly covers the Blue Bombers, curling, and basketball. Read more about Taylor. Every piece of reporting Taylor produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Gray and the Dream take on Williams and the Lynx
Minnesota Lynx (28-6, 17-2 Western Conference) at Atlanta Dream (22-13, 11-6 Eastern Conference) College Park, Georgia; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Allisha Gray and the Atlanta Dream host Courtney Williams and the Minnesota Lynx in out-of-conference action. The Dream have gone 10-5 at home. Atlanta has a 3-4 record in games decided by less than 4 points. The Lynx are 11-5 on the road. Minnesota ranks fifth in the Western Conference with 8.4 offensive rebounds per game led by Jessica Shepard averaging 2.3. Atlanta averages 9.3 made 3-pointers per game, 1.7 more made shots than the 7.6 per game Minnesota gives up. Minnesota averages 9.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 more made shots on average than the 6.8 per game Atlanta allows. The two teams play for the third time this season. The Dream defeated the Lynx 90-86 in their last matchup on July 27. Brittney Griner led the Dream with 22 points, and Napheesa Collier led the Lynx with 32 points. TOP PERFORMERS: Brionna Jones is averaging 12.7 points and 7.3 rebounds for the Dream. Gray is averaging 18.5 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists over the last 10 games. Williams is averaging 14.3 points and 6.2 assists for the Lynx. Kayla McBride is averaging 15.0 points over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Dream: 7-3, averaging 83.1 points, 35.0 rebounds, 21.2 assists, 7.3 steals and 4.3 blocks per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 74.0 points per game. Lynx: 8-2, averaging 91.2 points, 34.1 rebounds, 22.7 assists, 8.3 steals and 4.7 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 78.6 points. INJURIES: Dream: Jordin Canada: out (hamstring). Lynx: Napheesa Collier: out (ankle). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Citron, Mystics to visit Charles, Sun
Washington Mystics (16-19, 8-8 Eastern Conference) at Connecticut Sun (7-27, 5-9 Eastern Conference) Uncasville, Connecticut; Thursday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: Washington Mystics faces Connecticut Sun in Eastern Conference action Thursday. The Sun are 5-9 against Eastern Conference opponents. Connecticut is 1-1 in games decided by 3 points or fewer. The Mystics' record in Eastern Conference action is 8-8. Washington is 5-8 in games decided by at least 10 points. Connecticut's average of 6.4 made 3-pointers per game is 1.3 fewer made shots on average than the 7.7 per game Washington allows. Washington averages 79.2 points per game, 7.0 fewer points than the 86.2 Connecticut allows to opponents. The two teams match up for the fourth time this season. The Sun defeated the Mystics 80-69 in their last meeting on Aug. 19. Saniya Rivers led the Sun with 17 points, and Sonia Citron led the Mystics with 19 points. TOP PERFORMERS: Olivia Nelson-Ododa is averaging 8.7 points and 5.3 rebounds for the Sun. Tina Charles is averaging 16 points and 5.8 rebounds over the past 10 games. Kiki Iriafen is averaging 12.7 points and 8.6 rebounds for the Mystics. Citron is averaging 19.6 points and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 50.4% over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Sun: 3-7, averaging 78.5 points, 32.1 rebounds, 19.0 assists, 9.3 steals and 4.1 blocks per game while shooting 42.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 83.2 points per game. Mystics: 4-6, averaging 81.9 points, 29.5 rebounds, 21.5 assists, 7.3 steals and 3.2 blocks per game while shooting 48.2% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 82.7 points. INJURIES: Sun: None listed. Mystics: Georgia Amoore: out for season (acl). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
