New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown says the team’s championship chemistry is gone because the group must start from scratch again. He compares the process to climbing a mountain, noting that every season requires a fresh ascent from base camp. The Knicks are failing to continue their previous year’s performance, as evidenced by a 2-4 record in their first six games.
Brown told reporters after practice on Sunday that the team is starting all over. He explained that when you conquer a mountain, you must come down, rest, and then climb another one. The coach warned that skipping steps on this new climb could be deadly for the season. This is not a tragedy for the Knicks, but the team must take each step the right way to get better.
The Mountain Starts at Base Camp
Continuity was supposed to be the Knicks’ biggest strength this year. During the playoffs last year, no team clicked as well as this group did. Their selflessness and ability to elevate each other made them a well-functioning machine that won fans across the country. Yet the offense has looked disjointed with too many turnovers and isolation plays. The core knows each other better than any other team in the league, but they look like they are relearning one another.
Just as a campfire requires constant tending, chemistry must be reinforced and reestablished. Mikal Bridges addressed this on Sunday. “Yeah, that’s why I think for us, we just gotta continue to grow,” Bridges said, according to the New York Post. He noted that the team was most polished at the end of last year in June. Bridges admitted it is tough to see the gap between then and now, but he stressed that it takes time and not skipping steps to get back in rhythm.
The Knicks started 2-3 last year too, and the offense was a work in progress all regular season. Karl-Anthony Towns’ involvement in the system was a recurring storyline that often frustrated fans. Brown says the team is climbing another mountain, and they are starting from base camp again. If they skip steps, they will die, just like a hiker who makes a fatal mistake on a steep trail.
Football Logic Explains the Struggles
Brown has been using analogies from other sports to explain why the Knicks are struggling to score at the rim. He compared the current shooting woes to football tactics. “If you think about it, if you’re shooting the way we’re shooting the ball at the perimeter, it’s like in football, if you’re not able to pass the ball, they’re gonna put eight guys in the box,” Brown said, according to the New York Post.
When teams do not make outside shots, defenses collapse into the paint, making it harder to finish inside. The Knicks must generate high-quality three-point shots and make them to clear the lane. Brown said the team has to be better in other areas to compensate while they work on their shooting. This football logic shows why the offense feels stuck when the perimeter shots do not fall.
A Backcourt Decision Looms
The sprained ankle injury José Alvarado sustained during the opening week of the season has nearly healed. He was absent for the last four games but managed to practice on Sunday. Tyler Kolek has stepped up in his place, playing 57 minutes over the last four games with 25 assists and just two turnovers.
Coach Brown said last week that Kolek will keep playing while Alvarado is out. He added, “Tyler is definitely going to keep playing while Jose is out.” Brown also noted, “When he comes back, we’ll figure it out.” At Madison Square Garden, Alvarado is listed as questionable for Monday’s game against the Nets.
The Knicks have to navigate this return while still climbing their offensive mountain. The team cannot expect the chemistry of last year to carry over without work. Brown’s mountain analogy is the key to understanding why the 2-4 start does not mean the season is doomed.
