Knicks coach Mike Brown on starting lineup change: ‘Everything is on the table’
ATLANTA — One day after the Knicks fell into a 1-2 hole in their first-round playoff series against the Hawks on Thursday, head coach Mike Brown didn’t rule out a change to the starting lineup. “That’ll be a game-time decision,” Brown said on a Zoom conference call with reporters on Friday. “Like I said last night: at this point in the year, everything is on the table.
What we do offensively, what we do defensively, what our rotations are, who starts, what we come out with. Everything is on the table. ” The Knicks’ starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns is virtually break-even with a net rating of plus-0.
3 in 51 minutes on the floor through the first three games against the Hawks in the first round. But they have outscored the Hawks by 71. 7 points per 100 possessions in the 17 minutes Brown has turned to Miles McBride in place of Bridges with the starters.
Brown has not played McBride in place of Hart with the starters in the playoffs, but through 86 regular-season minutes, the lineup — McBride with the non-Hart starters — were plus-0. 2. The trend suggests if there is a change, Bridges will be the one to move to the bench.
The Knicks are plus-23. 3 in the 55 minutes the five-pick wing spent on the bench and minus-8. 5 in the 84 minutes he’s been on the floor in the first round.