The new coach takes office! The two cores join forces! Is the curse waiting to be broken?

The Knicks' performance last season was a long-awaited surprise.

51 wins and 31 losses, third in the Eastern Conference. Last season they made it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals before being blocked by the Pacers. Losing to the same opponent for two consecutive seasons seems a bit helpless, but realistically, last season's Eastern Conference Finals was the Knicks' best result since the 1999-00 season.

The key behind this achievement comes from a huge gamble, from Towns. The big man had a star performance last season, especially in the playoffs, and even had the most impressive performance of his career so far.

Of course, if you look at it from the Knicks' perspective, Brunson is still the team's anchor.

Last season, he averaged 26 points, 2.9 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game, shooting 48.8% from the field, 38.3% from the three-point range, and 82.1% from the free throw line. However, overall efficiency declined slightly due to a late-season ankle injury. But even so, he is still the most indispensable core of the team. He is definitely the number one contributor to the Knicks being able to set foot on the Eastern Conference Finals stage again.

It's just that the team's playoff performance was still a little unsatisfactory. After the playoffs, the Knicks and Thibodeau parted ways, but almost all of the core lineup was retained. The goal of the new season is already obvious, which is to hit the championship trophy.

Specially considering that the Celtics and Pacers suffered heavy losses in the new season, and that Tatum and Haliburton will miss the new season, the Knicks have the best time. With the right time, right place, and right people, New York's championship dream seems closer than ever.

Judging from the team's offseason lineup changes, the Knicks have introduced a lot of rotation capabilities, including Diawara, Tosan Evbwan, Terry Jamieson, Yabusele, Matthews, Brogdon, Clarkson, and Ryan; they have sent away Anton Watson, Jacob Toppin, Beachum, Jericho Sims, Achiuwa, Payne Jr., and Delon Wright.

Compared with last season, the depth of the Knicks' lineup rotation has been significantly improved, and the scoring and defensive quality of the bench in the new season are guaranteed.

Of course, the data does not lie. The core of the Knicks' offense still lies in Brunson, and his singles scoring is the source of the team's offense.

Based on the interview content of new coach Mike Brown, he intends to adjust Brunson's usage in the new season, allowing him to participate more in off-ball offenses, reduce the energy consumption of holding the ball, and participate more in the offense through running screens and quick transmissions, which not only retains the core threat, but also prevents the offense from stagnating.

In addition, Towns' performance last season was almost perfect, averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, and his three field goal percentages were 52.6%, 42%, and 82.9% respectively. Although his playoff data has declined slightly, it is still his best performance in recent years.

The greatest value of this link is that the Knicks no longer need to put all the offensive burden on Brunson's shoulders in the new season.

From the perspective of the new season, Towns is likely to play a more important role in the Knicks' tactics.

Referring to the past, Brown developed the Kings' offensive system with Sabonis as the offensive hub during the Kings period. Now, although Towns' player attributes are different, his outside threats and destructive power in the penalty area are enough to fulfill similar roles.

The key is whether he can adapt to high-intensity running tactics. This will be the focus of Mike Brown's observation in the new season.

Based on the lineup, Brunson, Towns, Bridges, and Anunoby can almost determine the starting lineup for the new season. The last spot will most likely be chosen between Hart, Miro, and McBride. Different choices will also affect the team's different offense and defense.

Looking back at the Thibodeau era, the playing time of Brunson, Bridges, Anunoby, Hart, and Towns ranked first in the league. This is also a rotation problem that the Knicks have been criticized for.

After Mike Brown took over the team, he stated early that he would adopt a 10-man rotation strategy in the new season to avoid excessive consumption of the core players. The newly introduced Clarkson, Yabusele, Brogdon, etc. are all the team's tactical choices for the new season.

The depth of the bench rotation has been improved, and the main team has been given a chance to breathe. This also means that the Knicks can play a longer-lasting and more varied game situation in the new season.

Returning to new coach Mike Brown, this is not the first time he and the Knicks have crossed paths. He has previously coached the Cavaliers and Lakers. He also interviewed for the Knicks coaching position when he was an assistant with the Warriors. He subsequently led the Kings back to the playoffs and eventually won the best coach in the 2022-23 season.

Regarding the joining of this new coach, Knicks general manager Leon Rose gave a very direct evaluation:

"Mike Brown is a talent who coaches on the top stage and injects championship DNA into us."

On the surface, this is just a compliment, but it also seems to have set an early goal for the Knicks in the new season: a championship trophy.

From the perspective of the team, the Knicks' foundation has been solid, but Mike Brown's challenge is still arduous. Thibodeau brought the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals, which has proven the upper limit of the core players. Mike Brown needs to inspire higher potential. Fans' expectations are gradually increasing, and if the final results fail to surpass his predecessor, the final pressure will be greater.