Knicks Plan Role Adjustments to Strengthen Title Defense
The New York Knicks are ready to shake things up as they defend their title. Last year's playoffs introduced a fresh style of offense, sparked by necessity when the team faced a 2-1 deficit against the Hawks in the first round. This quick adaptation led to a dominant postseason performance and a championship run.
With a full training camp and preseason ahead, the Knicks intend to refine and expand this approach. Guard Jalen Brunson expressed optimism after their first practice, saying, "I feel like we can do a lot more, do a lot of different things. We unlocked something last year in the playoffs at a time of need and it worked. It’s going to be fun to integrate it from the start of the season."
Focus on Karl-Anthony Towns’ Role
A key change was repositioning Karl-Anthony Towns as a facilitator at the elbows, which allowed Brunson more freedom off the ball and eased his playmaking duties. Towns’ passing skills improved the offense by pulling opposing centers away from the paint and boosting the effectiveness of teammates OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, who thrived as cutters and screen setters.
Coach Mike Brown plans to keep this role central but is open to experimentation. "Playing with KAT at the elbow more than last regular season makes sense," Brown said. "After a year together, we know what each player can do. OG and Mikal surprised me with their pick-and-roll impact. We’ll explore ways to involve them at the top of the floor." He also hinted at possibly moving Anunoby to center at times and testing if Andre Drummond could fill a similar facilitator role.
Expanding Anunoby and Bridges’ Roles
Last season, the offense heavily relied on Anunoby and Bridges taking corner three-pointers, with each leading the league in corner attempts—199 for Bridges and 198 for Anunoby. But during the playoffs, both enhanced their ball-handling and slashing abilities. Anunoby particularly emerged as a scorer who could create off the dribble, sometimes carrying the offense.
Brown considers giving Anunoby more floor space away from the corners to unlock his potential as an All-Star caliber player. Using him as a small-ball center could address depth concerns since Drummond remains the only guaranteed backup center behind Towns.
Adapting Through the Season
Brown emphasized the need for flexibility, acknowledging that playoff tactics may not always work in the regular season. "We’ll carry over a lot but also experiment. We have to be ready to pivot and evolve as the season progresses," he said, hoping the team peaks heading into the playoffs.
This adaptability stems from a veteran group willing to adjust roles and communicate openly. Brunson highlighted the team spirit: "We figured out we need each other to win and be on the same page. You never know when things will click, but if you keep working every day, eventually the break comes." Now, the Knicks look ahead to new challenges, ready to build on last year’s success.
