New York Knicks assistant coach Mike Brown has begun addressing the team’s string of sloppy first quarters, saying the roster needs to eliminate what he called recent “wake-up” moments that have forced the club to play from behind.
Speaking ahead of Thursday’s matchup, Brown acknowledged that several early lapses in the past few games left New York scrambling to regain momentum. While he did not specify tactical adjustments, he confirmed that practice sessions this week were redesigned to sharpen focus from the opening tip.
The concern follows a stretch of contests in which the Knicks surrendered quick runs before settling in, a pattern Brown said cannot continue as the regular-season schedule intensifies.
Brown, who joined Tom Thibodeau’s staff last summer, added that players have responded positively to the renewed emphasis on first-quarter execution. “We’ve talked about it, we’ve worked on it, and now we have to show it,” he told reporters.
New York entered Thursday at 38-28, clinging to fifth place in the Eastern Conference and aiming to secure home-court advantage in the first round.
Source: New York Post
