The New York Knicks avoided a shock defeat on Sunday night, rallying from a 21-point deficit to beat the Golden State Warriors 110–107 at Madison Square Garden.
Jalen Brunson led the comeback with 30 points and nine assists as the Knicks improved to 44–25, keeping hold of third place in the Eastern Conference.
But head coach Mike Brown made it clear afterward that the dramatic win did little to impress him.
Brown refused to name a defensive player of the game and criticised how his team started the night after falling into a huge early hole against a Warriors side missing several key players, including Stephen Curry.
Mike Brown criticises Knicks slow start after Warriors build early 21-point lead
Golden State controlled the game early and led 35–21 after the first quarter, eventually building a 21-point advantage in the first half.
New York recovered with a dominant third quarter before closing the game late behind Brunson and OG Anunoby.
Still, Brown was blunt about what he saw.
“I was not happy with the way we started the game,” he said in his postgame press conference.
Brown added that a veteran team should not require multiple timeouts within the opening minutes simply to match the opponent’s intensity.
The coach also suggested the problem has appeared repeatedly in recent games, raising concerns with the playoffs now approaching.
Knicks advanced stats show elite NBA rankings despite slow-start issue
Brown’s frustration stands in contrast to how strong the Knicks have been statistically this season.
New York currently ranks among the NBA’s best teams in several key advanced metrics.
- Offensive rating: 119.3 (3rd in NBA)
- Defensive rating: 112.9 (6th)
- Net rating: +6.4 (5th)
- Three-point percentage: 37.3% (4th in NBA)
Those numbers underline why the Knicks are widely viewed as a contender in the Eastern Conference.
Yet their early-game performance has been far less convincing.
New York averages 29.4 points in the first quarter, which ranks 13th in the NBA, and their scoring in the opening period has dipped to 24.7 points per game during March.
Sunday’s game followed the same pattern, with the Knicks again forced to chase the game before eventually turning it around.
Knicks starting lineup metrics explain why Mike Brown refuses to make changes
Despite the slow starts, Brown confirmed he is not currently planning to change the starting lineup.
New York continues to open games with Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The group has actually been one of the NBA’s most productive lineups overall.
When those five players share the floor, the Knicks have posted:
- Net rating: +8.1
- Offensive rating: 117.0
- Defensive rating: 108.9
“Right now I don’t feel the need to,” Brown said when asked about possible changes.
The coach added that it is “not too late to do anything” later in the season if necessary.
Knicks survive Warriors comeback scare with strong late execution
New York ultimately survived thanks to its late execution.
The Knicks shot 39-for-84 from the field (46.4%), went 10-for-32 from three (31.3%), and converted 22 of 23 free throws (95.7%).
Brunson delivered a clutch jumper inside the final minute before Anunoby sealed the victory with two free throws with just seconds remaining.
Golden State had one final possession to tie the game but turned the ball over as time expired.
The result extends the Knicks’ winning run and keeps them firmly among the Eastern Conference contenders.
But Brown’s reaction made one thing clear.
If New York continues digging early holes like this, the comebacks may not always come.