As the New York Knicks prepare to open their season on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at Madison Square Garden against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the franchise stands at the start of a new era under head coach Mike Brown. Five months after a bitter loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals, a defeat that cut short their championship hopes, the Knicks made one of the most talked-about moves of the offseason — firing Tom Thibodeau and bringing in the veteran coach Brown to lead a talented roster into a more dynamic future.
Brown’s arrival comes with sweeping changes in philosophy, as well as on the floor. His goal is to raise the Knicks’ ceiling to that of a true contender through pace, balance, and teamwork.
- Mike Brown is increasing the Knicks’ pace, targeting more possessions and transition scoring after ranking fifth-slowest last season.
- Karl-Anthony Towns moves to power forward, while Mitchell Robinson returns as the starting center, and Josh Hart shifts to the bench.
- Jalen Brunson will play more off the ball, cutting and shooting off screens to create space and involve teammates like Mikal Bridges.
A Faster Pace, but Early Progress Has Been Gradual
The Knicks were one of the slowest teams in the league last season, ranking fifth-lowest in pace at 97.64 possessions per 48 minutes. Brown, whose previous teams consistently ranked near the top in pace, made it clear from day one that he wanted to transform the Knicks’ tempo. His plan centered on pushing the ball in transition, increasing possessions, and forcing opponents to defend at speed.
But through preseason, the numbers showed only a modest jump. The Knicks averaged 98.55 possessions per 48 minutes, still near the bottom among all NBA teams — the second-lowest when discounting international exhibition opponents.
Following a 113–108 preseason win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday, October 17, 2025, at Madison Square Garden, Brown addressed the slower-than-expected progress.
“The guys that have been out, they’re the key pieces to what we’re trying to do,” Brown explained. “They haven’t gotten the reps, and for us to jell together from top to bottom is gonna take a little more time than I thought.”
Injuries have slowed the Knicks’ progress so far; several rotation players missed time, leaving Brown unable to fully test his intended pace-and-space system. But it’s early days; the foundation is being laid for what he envisions: a team that runs, reacts, and wears opponents down with constant movement.
Brown’s goal aligns with early betting activity surrounding the Knicks’ opener. Sportsbooks including DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM listed the Knicks as 3- to 4.5-point favorites against Cleveland, with moneyline odds between –148 and –185 and an over/under of 229.5 points. The lines have moved toward New York since the start of the week, corresponding with Cavaliers guard Darius Garland being ruled out.
Futures markets show a similar trend. BetMGM and Covers list the Knicks at +900 to win the 2025–26 NBA Championship, while FanDuel places them at +1200. Their Eastern Conference title odds stand around +370, and their regular-season win total is set at 53.5 (Over –105, Under –115).
Analysts remain split on expectations. Sportsbook Review’s Corey Scott recommended the under on 53.5 wins, citing adjustment time under a new system. Simulation sites such as Dimers project New York with approximately a 60–65% win probability in the opener.
Lineup Adjustments and Brunson’s New Role
The Knicks’ biggest structural change is happening in the frontcourt. Mitchell Robinson is expected to reclaim his starting center role, and Josh Hart, who finished last postseason as a starter, will move to the bench. The adjustment moves Karl-Anthony Towns to power forward, pairing him with Robinson to form a tall, physical, and potentially dominant front line.
During the preseason, Towns and Robinson shared the court for three games — two wins against the Philadelphia 76ers and one against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns averaged 9.0 points, 6.3 assists, and 30 minutes per game, though his shooting touch was cold at just 26.3 percent from the field. Robinson averaged 4.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.0 offensive boards in 14.8 minutes per game.
At the heart of the offense, Jalen Brunson is also seeing change. Brown wants him to play more off the ball, a shift meant to reduce isolation possessions and open up more catch-and-shoot and cutting opportunities. During preseason, Brunson’s off-ball movement — cutting through screens, working off pin-downs, and repositioning for clean looks — became increasingly polished. The new role has also helped involve other scorers. Mikal Bridges, for instance, averaged 12.8 points on 50 percent shooting in 23.1 minutes per game, benefiting from a more balanced attack.
A Deeper Bench and a Different Coaching Style
Under Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks’ starters were known for heavy minutes. Last season, Josh Hart (37.6), Mikal Bridges (37.0), and OG Anunoby (36.6) all ranked in the NBA’s top ten in minutes per game; Jalen Brunson (35.4) ranked seventeenth. Brown’s approach is notably different, as he plans to lean more heavily on his reserves, trusting a bench that includes Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele, Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, Ariel Hukporti, and possibly Hart, depending on the lineup.
In the preseason, that rotation depth was evident, even though not all players delivered strong results. Clarkson averaged 1.8 turnovers in 18.4 minutes per game and shot 38.8 percent from the field, and Yabusele struggled at 31.0 percent shooting and a minus-9.6 plus/minus rating. But Brown is expected to maintain trust in his bench, believing consistent rotation minutes will help players settle into their roles as the season unfolds.
Rightfully so, the shift also has all players’ health as top priority. Mitchell Robinson has played just 48 games over the past two seasons, and with Hart dealing with a back injury, Anunoby nursing an ankle issue, and Towns managing a quad strain during preseason, spreading minutes will be essential to keeping the roster healthy.
A Familiar Core, Lofty Expectations
Even with a new system, the Knicks are not starting from scratch. Brown inherits a roster that remains one of the strongest in the Eastern Conference, featuring Brunson, Towns, Bridges, Anunoby, Hart, and a fully healthy Robinson. Team president Leon Rose didn’t land a marquee superstar during the offseason, but he and the front office reinforced the rotation with Clarkson and Yabusele to bolster depth and shooting.
Offensively, Brown wants the Knicks to build on what was already a top-ten attack last season. They averaged 115.8 points per game (ninth in the NBA), shot 48.6 percent from the field (fifth overall), and hit 36.9 percent from three (eighth). But there’s always room for improvement — especially from beyond the arc, where New York attempted only 34.1 threes per game, ranking 27th in the league. Thus, Brown’s goal is to generate more perimeter looks through ball movement and spacing.
The challenge for Brown is balance: keeping the scoring spread out while maintaining defensive identity. If he can do that, the Knicks have a clear path back to the Eastern Conference Finals — and possibly beyond. With the Boston Celtics missing Jayson Tatum and the Pacers without Tyrese Haliburton, the Cavaliers appear to be their main Eastern obstacle.
Mike Brown’s Motivation Message: The DK Metcalf Example
Following the preseason finale, Mike Brown revealed a motivational video he has been showing to his team — a 2020 NFL clip featuring Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf chasing down Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker for 80 yards to prevent a touchdown after an interception.
Brown told reporters that he uses the clip as a teaching tool to encourage players to never give up on a play, regardless of game circumstances.
