The on-court breakthrough was born off the court.
The Knicks hit another gear during the postseason last year, particularly after falling to a 2-1 series deficit to the Hawks in the first round. So much has been written and said about how the Knicks subsequently pivoted to an offensive system that featured Karl-Anthony Towns as a “hub” and facilitator at the elbows, a decision that sparked one of the most dominant championship runs in NBA history.
That decision was a result of an openness within the coaching staff and locker room for dialogue and change. Towns told Mike Brown and his assistants that he wanted the team to give him a chance at the new role. Assistant Chris Jent, who is in charge of the Knicks offense, was also involved, pushing for the Towns-centric system.
Collaboration and the willingness to try new things were major considerations during the coaching search ahead of last year, which resulted in Brown taking over. And it’s hard to argue that it didn’t play a significant role in the championship run.
The Knicks’ effectiveness in communicating with each other during the playoffs helped fuel their championship.
“I think as a group,” Jalen Brunson said, “we figured out that we need each other to win, obviously, and we need each other to be on the same page.”
The early adversity is hard to remember considering the Knicks won 13 of their last 14 games — many in blowout fashion. But there was a time, after three games in the first round, when it was DEFCON 1 around the team.
It tested their mettle, but they came together and brought out the best in each other. It’s why Brown actually wants more hard times.
“A lot of people tend to shy away from adversity,” Brown said. “And especially early on, because you get scrutinized, and sometimes it can be tough dealing with that. I actually, I yearn for it. I yearn for it early, because I want to make sure that not only myself, but we as a group can handle it.
“And early on, especially when you have a new group, it’s tough to deal with. It’s extremely tough to deal with, but that will make you better, dealing with it earlier, as you go along throughout the course of the season because you have not only examples to lean on, but you still have your standard.”
Brunson and Josh Hart’s friendship is well-documented, but that the Knicks as a whole are genuinely so close to one another — and are all on the same wavelength, with a comfort level with each other — is a real advantage.
They can handle the bad times — and more importantly, use them to get better.
“The first couple of weeks or whatever of the season is going to show us who we are and where we are,” Brunson said. “No matter what we’re doing, whether we’re playing great, playing bad, how are you going to be able to learn? We’ll find a way. We’ll hold each other accountable, just like we did last year, and then we’ll be better.”
There was little change this offseason to that close-knit unit. Ten of the top 11 players in minutes played last year are back, with the only departure being Mitchell Robinson.
In a league where the last eight champions failed to repeat, it gives the Knicks reason to believe they can buck that trend.
“Second year with Mike and all of our assistants, terminology is the same, we’re moving quickly into certain things [during training camp] that we weren’t even close to scratching at this point [last year],” Landry Shamet said. “That alone, all that, just from the team perspective, just breeds confidence as well. You’re stepping into a familiar environment and you feel good about one another.
“We’re just exploring, implementing some things and seeing what worked and if we can build on top of it. But for the most part, kind of knowing what formula works and how can we get back up to that speed as quickly as possible? And from there, having a second year, having a second year in the offense adds some flexibility for some variability. I think it sets us up nicely.”
Team chemistry has a real impact. The Knicks are as close as they come.
