The Mike Brown era is off to an impressive start for the New York Knicks. On Friday, they won their second straight game to begin the season by defeating the Boston Celtics 105-95 to move to 2-0 on the season.
Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns shined for the Knicks
Brown opted to go with a different starting lineup than the one he used in the season opener. He started Miles McBride at the shooting guard position, moving Karl-Anthony Towns to center.
The move ended up working, as the offense was free-flowing and the stars showed out. Jalen Brunson led the way in scoring with 31 points on 10-for-20 shooting from the field and 3-for-7 from beyond the arc, and Towns finished with another double-double with 26 points and 13 rebounds.
New York started the game slowly, but they erupted in the second quarter, outscoring Boston 42-14 to enter the halftime break up by 20. The Knicks wouldn’t relinquish the lead the rest of the way, dominating the team they knocked out of the playoffs last season on their home floor.
Josh Hart showed hustle in his season debut
This game marked the season debut for Josh Hart, who sat out of the season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers with back spasms.
Hart came off the bench for New York and did not disappoint. He scored only two points but grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds, showing off the pure hustle and grit that make him so valuable to the team.
Hart’s impact on the glass helped New York dominate the rebounding game. Overall, they outrebounded Boston 53-37, but they also secured 21 offensive boards compared to Boston’s eight, which ultimately was arguably the biggest difference maker.
The Knicks’ offense is still experiencing growing pains
While the offense has been moving at a great pace with excellent ball movement, there have still been some growing pains with the shot efficiency.
New York shot much better from three-point range against the Celtics than they did against the Cavaliers, knocking down 17 of 45 three-point attempts. However, they shot just 38.4% from the field overall.
Luckily, their defense performed exceptionally well, helping generate fastbreak offense. Furthermore, the process of creating good looks has been on point; the shots just need to start falling. Once they do, this Knicks offense will be tough to beat.
Overview
The Knicks have started their championship quest on a high note, beating two top Eastern Conference teams to begin the year. They will head out on the road for the start of a three-game trip starting Sunday, when they take on the Miami Heat.