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Jan 7, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown reacts during the first half against the LA Clippers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Is Mike Brown Too Relaxed as Knicks Completely Collapse?

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated Jan 18, 2026 5:21 PM ET

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown downplayed concerns after their third straight loss, a 106-99 defeat to the Phoenix Suns at Madison Square Garden.

"There's concern but not to the point we're gonna overhaul everything," Brown stated postgame. Fans voiced frustration with boos raining down, but Brown respected their reaction: "The fans have, in my opinion, every right to boo or to cheer or do whatever they want. They pay their hard-earned money," he said.

Yet the numbers paint a grim picture for a team now 25-17. Rebounding woes crushed New York, as Phoenix capitalized on offensive boards for dagger threes.

"I thought one of the areas that really hurt us was their ability to offensive rebound," Brown admitted.

The‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Knicks' defense, which was once top-class after their NBA Cup win, has dropped like a rock, giving up second-chance points on 17 turnovers against the Suns. This meltdown came after defeats against Sacramento and Golden State, pointing to some serious ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌problems.

Brown's‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ serenity during the slump is making people wonder: Is it that he's so calm on the surface that he's actually very concerned inside, or is it just smart leadership for a team that is a third seed?

New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

When Karl-Anthony Towns was having a hard time against the post, the coach mentioned halftime ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌adjustments, via Kris Pursiainen on X.

"We talked about that at halftime... 'Hey, when you catch down there, they're coming, so you may have to spray quickly.' But we just didn't get the ball out to guys in a timely manner."

Knicks' Overreliance on Brunson Exposed

Jalen‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Brunson is shouldering a very heavy load as he averages 28.2 points as the Knicks' main scoring motor. Carmelo Anthony cautioned about being "too dependent" on the play of the star guard, which has not changed under Brown, even though there was a hope for a more balanced team.

The Knicks lost their bench support after Brunson and Josh Hart were out in the Suns defeat, which brought the issue of over-dependence on the surface. Towns and OG Anunoby each scored 23 and 21, respectively, but the big man is still struggling with ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌inefficiency.

Brutal Stretch Looms Ahead

The‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ Knicks have difficult matchups ahead in the coming weeks. They will be at home against Dallas on Jan. 19 and Brooklyn on Jan. 21 before they head off to Philadelphia on Jan. 24.

The schedule takes a turn for the worse in February as the Knicks face the Lakers (Feb. 1), Denver (Feb. 4), Boston (Feb. 8), Indiana (Feb 10), Philadelphia again (Feb. 11), Cleveland (Feb. 24) and Milwaukee (Feb. ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌27).

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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