Mike Brown Breaks Down How Knicks Came Back Against Rockets

The New York Knicks trailed by 18 points in the fourth quarter and still won. Against a Houston Rockets team that had every physical advantage on paper, New York pulled off a 108-106 comeback that nobody in the building saw coming until it actually happened.

At the postgame presser, per Kris Pursiainen on X, Mike Brown kept it simple on what the win meant: "Heck of a ball game from our guys, in terms of trying to find ways to get a win."

Mike Brown finally here postgame. On the win:

"Heck of a ball game from our guys, in terms of trying to find ways to get a win."
— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) February 22, 2026

That win took everything the Knicks had. Jalen Brunson was ice-cold for three quarters, fighting through Houston's length and athleticism on every possession. He went a combined 2-for-8 in the first three quarters before flipping a switch in the fourth, going 4-for-4 including the game-winner jumper with 30 seconds left.

But Brunson's fourth quarter did not happen in a vacuum. The defense had to show up first.

Feb 21, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) celebrates after scoring in the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Mike Brown on What Turned the Knicks Game Around vs Rockets

Brown recalled Towns stepping up in the huddle at the start of the fourth, while Brown was still drawing up a play. Per Pursiainen on X, Towns told his teammates: "Hey, at the end of the day, it starts defensively. And we got to start with getting a stop."

Mike Brown says as he was drawing up a play at the start of the 4Q, Karl-Anthony Towns told teammates, "Hey, at the end of the day, it starts defensively. And we got to start with getting a stop.'"

Brown said Towns showed great defensive intensity on Sengun, which led the way
— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) February 22, 2026

Towns then went out and did exactly that. Brown said he led the defensive charge on Alperen Sengun, holding him to 0-for-4 shooting with two turnovers in the fourth. For a guy who finished with 25 points on the night, that defensive effort was arguably just as valuable.

On the sideline, a separate decision was being made. Per Kristian Winfield on X, Brown said, "We kept searching for combinations until we found one that worked. Rick Brunson was the one who suggested throwing Jose Alvarado on the floor."

Mike Brown: “We kept searching for combinations until we found one that worked. Rick Brunson was the one who suggested throwing Jose Alvarado on the floor.”
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) February 22, 2026

Brown went with it. Alvarado finished with five steals and was named the team's Defensive Player of the Game, also adding five points and three assists in the fourth alone.

Brown also explained why he never panicked about Brunson's slow start offensively, or changed much about the gameplan.

Per Pursiainen: "We didn't do much, in terms of changing it. We kept trying to do what we did in the first half, a lot of teams do it to us. They try to put somebody in the pick and roll and play matchups. Next thing, they had to take Sengun out. We went at Reed a little bit, By then, Jalen was in a groove."

Mike Brown on double-teams Jalen Brunson was seeing:

"We didn't do much, in terms of changing it. We kept trying to do what we did in the first half, a lot of teams do it to us. They try to put somebody in the pick and roll and play matchups. Next thing, they had to take Sengun…
— Kris Pursiainen (@krispursiainen) February 22, 2026

When a reporter asked if the Knicks simply have the ability to flip a switch and turn it on when needed, Brown pushed back on the idea. He said he does not think many teams truly have that, pointing to the Kevin Durant-era Warriors as a rare exception. Per Pursiainen: "We found a way. But we have to be better."

That last line probably tells you everything about where this team's head is at. The win goes in the books, but Brown is not satisfied with needing an 18-point gap to wake up.

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