How Knicks Stars Can Flourish Under Mike Brown

The New York Knicks' superstar duo should improve with Mike Brown as their head coach.

Nov 24, 2024; Sacramento, California, USA; Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown is hoping to get the most out of his new team, which is led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Brunson and Towns became a duo less than a year ago when the Knicks acquired the latter in a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

With Brunson and Towns leading the way, the Knicks won 51 games, which is the most in their franchise's history since the 2012-13 campaign. With Brown at the helm, there's a chance that number could increase in the upcoming season.

"Ball movement should become increasingly common under Brown as well. Sacramento was fourth and second, respectively, in passes per game during his two full seasons on the sidelines. The Knicks’ offense currently stands in stark contrast to that type of volume. They finished 18th in passes per game last season," Bleacher Report contributor Dan Favale wrote.

"... The Knicks’ star duo averaged around 21 passes per game to one another this past year. During their last full season together in Sacramento (2023-24), Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox threw about 36 passes to one another each game. Rewind to 2022-23, and that number checked in at 31.6—lower, but still much higher than the coaction (or lack thereof) between Towns and Brunson."

The difference between what the Sacramento Kings and Knicks have is the quality of the role players alongside them.

The Kings didn't have players quite as talented as OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, which could mean the Knicks enter a new stratosphere for expectations.

The vision is there, and tweaks will have to be made throughout the year, but there's a decent chance Brown might be able to get the best version we've seen yet from the Knicks since Brunson arrived in 2022.

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