Knicks head coach Mike Brown sees value in the team’s recent struggles.
Not because he is content with losing, but because he believes dealing with adversity now will help the Knicks reach their ultimate goal.
“It’s a great thing during the regular season, because it will help prepare you for the postseason,” Brown said Wednesday night before facing the Los Angeles Clippers at Madison Square Garden.
“It will let you know whether or not you have the components to face adversity or tough times as a group, because you’ve already been through it once or twice throughout the course of the year. Now, that doesn’t mean I like to lose. I hate f–king losing. … But I do embrace the adversity that we’re going through, because this is a great test.”
The championship-hopeful Knicks entered Wednesday on a season-long four-game losing streak, including Monday night’s 121-90 defeat by the Detroit Pistons on the road.
The recent slump dropped the Knicks into third place in the East, behind the top-seeded Pistons and the surging Boston Celtics.
“I try to stay even-keeled, because just like if things are going well, I don’t want to get too high because I’ve been around a long time. Things can go bad that quick,” said Brown, who is in his first season as the Knicks’ head coach.
“But in the same breath, that’s part of the season, and I want to make sure they don’t ever get too high and they don’t ever get too low. I know, right now, part of that is this is not a time for me to go crazy, because I know our guys care.”
The Knicks entered Wednesday with a 5-6 record since winning the NBA Cup championship in Las Vegas last month. Brown said it is his responsibility to “keep it real” with the players and to coach them through the rough stretch.
“It’s my job to keep the guys connected and continue to uplift guys,” Brown said. “Guys in the locker room that are leaders, it’s their job, too.”
DEUCE TO START
Amid their skid, Brown made a change Wednesday to the Knicks’ starting five.
Miles “Deuce” McBride moved into the opening lineup, with center Mitchell Robinson sliding to the bench.
McBride joined Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns in the first unit.
The Knicks remain without starting guard Josh Hart, who has not played since Dec. 25 due to an ankle injury.
VAN GUNDY RETURNS
Wednesday marked Clippers assistant Jeff Van Gundy’s first time coaching at the Garden since Nov. 20, 2006, which was his final season as head coach of the Houston Rockets.
Van Gundy is in his second season as the Clippers’ lead assistant coach, but he missed last year’s game at the Garden after briefly stepping away to deal with a family medical issue.
The 63-year-old Van Gundy was the Knicks’ head coach from 1996-01 and led them to the NBA Finals in 1999. He also served as a Knicks assistant from 1989-96.
“From day one, just coming in with a no-nonsense mentality,” Clippers head coach Ty Lue said Wednesday of Van Gundy’s impact. “His hard-work mentality. He’s in the gym [at] 5 o’clock in the morning, prepping, looking at film, watching film.”
Van Gundy frequently attended games at the Garden as a broadcaster with ESPN from 2007-2023.
LUE ON BRUNSON
Wednesday marked Brunson’s first time facing the Clippers since December of 2023, as an ankle injury kept him out of both meetings last season.
“Is he playing tonight?” Lue asked jokingly during his pregame press conference.
“Damn!” Lue replied when a reporter answered in the affirmative.
Lue, a former NBA point guard, then described the challenges posed by Brunson.
“Put his name every year in the MVP candidate [debate], being an All-Star each year,” Lue said. “But his game has grown, I think, getting more comfortable. His 3-point shot has gotten better. He has great footwork around the basket when he gets into the paint. … And then being able to draw fouls as well.”
