"So far, only two-way wing Mikal Bridges seems fully comfortable in Brown's system that prioritizes ball movement and a faster pace. Bridges, who is averaging career highs in field goal and 3-point percentages, looks like a different player than the one who was unsure in his first season as a Knick and no longer relegated to feeding off the gravity created by All-Stars Jalen Brunson and Towns."
"But opening night marked an important change from last season. Before their second-round upset of the defending champion Boston Celtics, the Knicks had gone 0-8 against the East's two top teams last season. The win against the Cavs was a signal they have the ability to lead the pack in a conference devoid of a truly dominant team. Based on the first few weeks of action in New York, where do the Knicks stand in that pursuit? Could injuries get in the way?"
Mike Brown replaced Tom Thibodeau as New York Knicks coach and opened the season with a win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The roster underwent major change, including the September 2024 trade of Julius Randle to Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Towns. Mikal Bridges has adapted well to a system emphasizing ball movement and faster pace, producing career-best shooting splits. The offense still shows sluggish moments, ranking bottom-10 in pace through seven games, while Towns adjusts to Brown's schemes. The opening-night victory contrasted last season's failures versus top Eastern teams and suggested the Knicks could vie for conference leadership, though cohesion and injuries remain concerns.
Read at ESPN.com
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