The Knicks’ only goal is to win a championship.The message was made very clear to Mike Brown, the new head coach.
Brown is accepting the championship-or-bust expectations that come with his new position and is aware of the task at Madison Square Garden. Following an Eastern Conference Finals trip, the coach who takes over for Tom Thibodeau takes over a 51-win club. During his first press conference at the team’s Tarrytown training facility on Tuesday, he lost no time in taking on those ambitious goals.
To begin with, I have higher standards than everybody else. I have great hopes. The Knicks are this team. We discussed the legendary nature of Madison Square Garden. We discussed our supporters. According to Brown, “I love and embrace the expectations that come with it.” Our objective is to create a winning culture that generates championships, starting with Mr. James Dolan and continuing through the players, [team president] Leon Rose, and fans. I am here for that reason.
Although Brown has never been a head coach to win a championship, he is aware of what it looks like. He has been to six NBA Finals: four times with the Golden State Warriors, including three championships as one of Steve Kerr’s trusted assistants from 2016 to 2022; once as head coach of the 2007 LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers; and once as an assistant with Gregg Popovich’s 2003 championship-winning San Antonio Spurs.
In his opening remarks, Brown stated, “I’m fortunate to know what it takes to create that [championship] success: a lot of hard work, a high level of commitment, and a focus on today.”
He later discussed the Knicks’ prospects in an Eastern Conference that many people believe is completely open. Following their respective postseason Achilles injuries, Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum eliminated Boston and Indiana from immediate contention.Damian Lillard (Achilles) was dismissed by Milwaukee, and Cleveland is anticipated to start the season without Darius Garland.
To begin with, you never want to witness someone being harmed. Particularly the manner in which those men acted. “That’s regrettable,” Brown added. Throw basketball out the window; it’s just bad for them personally. Additionally, for their organizations and families. There are many excellent teams in the world.
Whether or not those guys are hurt is irrelevant. After all, teams will eventually figure out how to win. Simply because of the injuries, we don’t think it will be any easier. We will need to take things one day at a time, one practice at a time, one shootaround at a time, and work to improve every day coming ahead so that we are prepared to make our move in the playoffs.
To provide what New York has been waited more than 50 years for, Brown intends to draw on his coaching expertise from greats from Tim Duncan to James, Stephen Curry to Kevin Durant, Draymond Green to De Aaron Fox.
“All those guys taught me a lot,” Brown remarked. Every one of them is unique. Just being among those guys is what makes my background and experience special. Whether they want to acknowledge it or not, each of those guys contributed in some manner to my development and is partially responsible for my current situation.
Brown is aware of the norm. The only question that remains is whether he can lead a team that is struggling to win a championship since 1973 to the pinnacle that it feels is within its grasp.
