Mike Brown believes that the Knicks' defense in crucial moments was a key factor in their victory, as they defeated the 76ers again.

The New York Knicks defeated the New York Knicks 108-102 at home in a key game of the second round of the 2025/26 NBA playoffs semifinals, thanks to contributions from Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby, and Anthony Towns. Head coach Mike Brown stated that the team's defensive performance in crucial moments was a key factor in winning the game.

According to the data, Jalen Brunson scored 26 points and 6 assists for the New York Knicks in this key game, Anunoby scored 24 points and 2 assists, and Anthony Towns contributed 20 points and 7 assists.

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown said, "This was a game where the offense was ugly for most of the time, and we have to give the Philadelphia 76ers a lot of credit. We knew they would play tougher, try to cut off passing lanes, and be more aggressive in pressing for possession."

“They practically destroyed us at the free-throw line, and they got 34 and 28 free throws respectively in this game, which is 42 to 62. We discussed how to defend without fouling at halftime, and we definitely did it better. The opponent only had 8 free throws in the second half, which was a huge turning point in the game.”

Mike Brown stated, "We have to limit them to the free-throw line in the second half and also stop them from getting offensive rebounds to win the game. Ultimately, the game comes down to who can do more defense in the fourth quarter and limit a team like that to just 12 points in that quarter. That's crucial."

"If there's one player I absolutely have to mention, it's Mikal Bridges. He gave it his all, just like everyone else, and he hit some crucial shots in the clutch. Opponents would double-team and switch, and we had to make sure the spacing on the court was reasonable enough, and our players did a pretty good job of that."

In addition, Mike Brown pointed out, "It's impossible for the team to completely stop Tyrese Maxey. He scored 26 points, but only 7 in the second half. The team must continue to work hard and make constant help defense, and the team defense behind him must be good enough to really slow him down."

"We know we missed some shots we would normally make, but they missed some shots they would normally make too. The key is to find a way to finish the defense; that's what you can really control."

Image source: Internet