New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown utilized an 11-player rotation in the team’s 119-111 season-opening victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. The approach marks a departure from former coach Tom Thibodeau’s methodology, as the Knicks held comfortable leads throughout the game against a top Eastern Conference contender.
Brown replaced Thibodeau, who faced criticism for limited rotation experimentation and minimal player usage. The new coach credited team president Leon Rose and the front office for assembling a deep roster.
“I truly believe this is a deep team,” Brown said. “Give Leon Rose and his group a lot of credit. It’s my job to keep trying to find combinations out on the floor that work. Just like they’ve got a lot of room to grow, I’ve got a lot of room to grow, too. I’m still learning.”
Brown acknowledged his rotation strategy may vary game-to-game. He emphasized the roster’s depth allows him to adjust lineups while maintaining competitive performance.
“I can learn on the fly because we have a lot of guys that can play,” Brown said. “I don’t know if I’ll play 11 guys every night, but we like to play as many as we can.”
Brown downplayed external pressure surrounding the season opener. He emphasized the team’s internal standards exceed outside expectations regardless of the victory.
“Our expectations are extremely high. Whether we won or lost, it’s one game,” Brown said. “We don’t feel like we’re anywhere near what we’re capable of, and that’s what makes it exciting.”