During each of his postgame press conferences, Mike Brown lists out a number of stats that he calls “the possession game”, which he describes as “free throw attempts + offensive rebounds – turnovers.”
In the team’s bounce-back win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, they won that battle 25-9. Through eight games, using the criteria Mike Brown has laid out, the Knicks are 6-2 in the possession game, and their record corresponds aside from their defeat in Milwaukee:
- vs CLE: 32-7
- vs BOS: 31-8
- @ MIA: 22-24
- @ MIL: 27-15
- @ CHI: 23-34
- vs CHI: 25-9
- vs WAS: 18-6
- vs MIN: 16-9
In how he speaks after games, it’s abundantly
clear that he prioritizes this possession battle. His offensive philosophy is based around pace and space, and it’s clear to see how this leads to possessions. If you play faster, you get more opportunities to score. If you shoot more threes, you can score more points. If you grab more rebounds, you get extra possessions and limit the opponent’s ability to.
It adds up to a math problem for other teams when the Knicks are clicking —the same one the Celtics used to waltz to their 18th championship in 2024. While the Knicks lack the personnel to replicate that style of offense fully, there’s another way they make up for it to dominate the possession battle: offensive rebounding.
Despite the fact that the best offensive rebounder in basketball has been limited to 49 minutes, the Knicks lead the NBA in offensive rebounding, grabbing 15.3 a game. In terms of percentages, they’re seventh in OREB% (34.2%) and third in total rebounding share (54.2%), allowing them to control games and take more shots. They take the third-most shots, while allowing the second-least amount of shots, a seismic disparity that equates to 10 more field goal attempts per game for the Knicks.
When you combine that with the fourth-lowest turnover rate and giving up the third-least free throw attempts, the math is clearly on the side of the Knicks, night in and night out.
Against Minnesota, the Knicks didn’t play great defense overall. The Timberwolves shot 48.2% from the field and 47.5% from three. They made 19 three-pointers in total, continuing a concerning trend of teams shooting the lights out against the Knicks. Despite that, they lost by 23. How is that possible?
Well, not only did the Knicks have a great offensive game, including an 83-point second half that was tied for their best in 37 years, but they demolished them on the boards.
On the final possession of the first quarter, Robinson grabbed two offensive rebounds, including being at the right place at the right time on a truly horrific airball by Jalen Brunson that shall not be shown again.
This is the first of many examples of the effort being on another level. Towns sprints from beyond the free-throw line and would not be denied for this putback layup.
This rebound didn’t even lead to a basket, but it just shows you the mentality of this team. Brunson has no business trying to grab a rebound like this, and nobody would bat an eye if he just let it fall into his college teammate’s hands, yet what does he do? He jumps up and rips it out of his hands, not sulking in the midst of a frustrating game, and generates an extra possession.
We’ve talked about the rebounding and the turnovers, but where are things at with the three-pointers?
While the Knicks are currently surrendering way too many threes, they’re doing their part with a ton of volume. Some hot shooting in the last week has vaulted them back into the top half of the league in efficiency. But are the shots they’re taking quality looks, or are they forcing it?
Well, 37.5 of the Knicks’ 43.6 attempts from the perimeter per game are classified as either open or wide open. For reference, 37.5 3PA/G would qualify as the 14th highest mark in the league, so these looks are in-rhythm, open, and the right shots to take. An added bonus? Three-quarters of their attempts are coming off of zero dribbles, with a vast majority of those being catch-and-shoot. Off-the-dribble threes are converted at a much lower rate than swinging it to an open man.
The Knicks feature two of the most dynamic corner shooters in basketball in OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges, and both are terrorizing teams to start 2025-26. Through six games, the Knicks lead the NBA in 12.9 corner three attempts per game and are shooting a blistering 45.6%.
Granted, several players are in slumps to start the season. Brunson and Towns are shooting about 34% combined on nearly 13 attempts a game when both are capable of shooting at a 40% clip. The team is also still waiting for the Guerschon Yabusele from 2024-25 to show up in New York. He might’ve gotten stuck in traffic on I-95.
The added volume does seem to be benefiting a number of shooters, however. OG Anunoby is currently shooting a blistering 41.4% on eight attempts a night, while his wingmate Mikal Bridges is at 56.4% on 5.4 attempts. Deuce McBride and Landry Shamet, despite some inconsistencies, are also over 40% on over four attempts a night.
It all adds up to a team full of guys who can shoot threes, taking a lot of them, a team full of energy guys feasting on the boards, and a coach that’s pushing them to play to their strengths as much as humanly possible.
It makes you think what things could look like when everyone is clicking.
