Star Knicks ahead Mikal Bridges believes the workforce’s protection is a step forward of its offense because the preseason winds down, with two video games left earlier than the Oct. 22 opener towards the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Sq. Backyard.
New York struggled to knock down pictures however held the Minnesota Timberwolves to beneath 38% capturing in a 100-95 additional time win Thursday at The Backyard.
Whereas the pictures didn’t fall, the Knicks leaned on their protection to remain in management.
“Defensively, I think we’re a little bit more ahead of the offense. At that point, I think it’s more of a pride thing too, trusting your guys and [you] don’t want to get scored on offensively,” Bridges stated after ending with 15 factors on 50% capturing in 25 minutes. “And nonetheless attempting to determine our spots and guys on offense just a little bit, however protection comes right down to extra coronary heart and enjoying exhausting.
“I think that’s true [the defense is ahead of the offense]. But I think we’re still building in the right direction with both. Just keep stacking days.”
TRANSITION CHECK
Head coach Mike Brown is instilling a brand new commonplace for transition protection—one which goes past what exhibits up within the field rating.
The NBA credited the Timberwolves with 13 quick break factors to the Knicks’ 18. Brown’s inner depend advised a distinct story.
“By our count,” he stated, “they had 27.”
“Fast break, yeah, there are different things that we look at. I can’t remember what the rule is for the NBA in terms of — I think they just use shot clock, whether or not you score in the first six seconds, four seconds, whatever,” Brown stated. “There are other things we look at in terms of fast break points, which is why I said they had around 25 against us tonight because we weren’t always good at getting back with our next-play speed.”
Subsequent-play velocity, as Brown defines it, is the psychological and bodily swap from offense to protection the second the ball modifications possession.
“Whether we took a tough shot and now the ball is going the other way or we turned it over and the ball is going the other way, we’ve got to change like, boom, just like that,” he stated. “We go from offense to defense right now. If we take two extra [seconds] the opposite direction, now they’re running out on us, and they have an advantage in transition. They may not score it right away, but they’ll eventually swing-swing to a wide-open shot because we didn’t play with next-play speed all the time or we took a tough shot.”
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Bridges’ early impressions of Brown are robust. Brown assumes the Knicks’ head teaching submit after the entrance workplace fired Tom Thibodeau following final season’s journey to the convention finals.
“Just being on guys, holding guys accountable, preaching everything every single day. Him and his coaches – they all run a tight ship,” Bridges stated. “You could possibly inform that no matter we’re doing on the market, they’re all on the identical web page, it doesn’t matter what the scenario is. And that’s loads of credit score to him as a result of I feel he’s the primary chief, the vocal chief of his crew, and for everyone to be on the identical web page, it makes it simpler for us gamers once they speak to us as a result of any coach I speak to, you’re going to listen to the identical factor.
“So it’s been great, man. I love how he pushes us. Accountability. A couple plays, if he feels like you’re not doing the right thing, he’s going to let you know and why wouldn’t you want that? In the moment, some guys might be a little upset about it. But we’re going to get to where we’re going to get to. He’s ain’t going to be Mr. Nice Guy. He got to hold people accountable. He doesn’t do it in a disrespectful way. He wants greatness out of everybody. And just being accountable is great.”
RUNNER-UP
The Knicks have been pegged because the second-most seemingly workforce to win the Japanese Convention in NBA.com’s annual GM ballot, trailing solely the defending convention champion Cavaliers, who completed final season 64–18.
“I know they do it. I didn’t know they did it already,” stated Brown. “A lot of respect for you GMs.”
New York obtained at the very least one vote to win the NBA title however didn’t seem within the top-three most favored groups general. Within the East, 53% of normal managers picked the Knicks to complete second.
“Everybody is going to have an opinion. Just take care of yourself because if you start worrying about what the GMs thought or what the owner’s thought, or what the referee’s thought, man, we would be in trouble,” Brown stated. “It would drive us crazy. I know it would drive me crazy. So we just focus in on us and try to do the best we can for who we are.”
