Knicks Get Off to a Good Start

To quote Monty Python, "And now for something completely different." 

The New York Knicks got the 2025-26 season off to a good start by beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111 at the Garden. But it was how they beat them that was the story. Eschewing the half-court offense of their former coach Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks employed an uptempo game, distributing the ball equally around the court leading to many open shots. It was a refreshing sight to behold.

True to his word, new head coach Mike Brown went with a deep rotation, By the end of the first half, eleven players had entered the game. The only time that many players saw action under Thibs was when the Knicks were ahead by 20 with a minute to go. The bench, which had been much maligned last season, had 20 points by halftime to help New York build a 65-50 lead. In all, they finished with 35 for the game. Apart from OG Anunoby, not one starter logged more than 34 minutes.

Of course, the men in orange and blue just couldn't resist a trip down memory lane. They reverted back to their old ways in the third quarter and the result was predictable. The Cavs outscored them 37-22 to tie the game at 87. Donavan Mitchell had 21 of his game-high 31 points in the quarter. But then New York snapped out of it and went on a 14-2 run to start the fourth quarter. 

The Knicks got balanced scoring from their players. O.G. Anunoby led the way with 24 points, 14 rebounds and three steals; Jalen Brunson was next with 23 points and five assists; Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 19 points and 11 rebounds; Mikal Bridges chipped in with 16, 12 in the first half; and Deuce McBride had 15 points off the bench and was a game-best plus 17. Indeed, every Knick was a plus for the game, except Landry Shamet and Ariel Hukporti.

The Knicks out-rebounded the Cavs 48-32 overall, including 39-28 on the defensive boards, and scored 42 points in the paint. They also shot 86.1 percent front the free throw line, compared to 66.7 percent for Cleveland. For a team that went a combined 0-10 against the Cavs, Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder last season, last night's win was a statement game. This year's Knicks team is not last year's.

Of course, Brown was quick to put the win in perspective. "Pretty good effort from our team. The great part of it is we got a lot of room to grow, and that's what's exciting." Translation: let's hold off on the parade down the Canyon of Heroes.

That being said, it's clear that this team - even without Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart in the lineup - is pretty deep and talented. If they're this good in their first regular season game, imagine how good they're going to be in game 10 or 20?

What impresses me most about Brown is that he isn't afraid to utilize his bench in crucial situations during the game. At one point he had Tyler Kolek, Jordan Clarkson, Guerschon Yabusele and Hukporti on the court at the same time. Can you imagine Thibs doing that? Again, this is not about hating on the former Knicks coach; it's about having enough faith in your players. 

Game one is in the books; game two is Friday in Boston.