One of the most important hallmarks of basketball is its collaborative nature; nothing can be accomplished alone. Teams may have stars entrusted by the organization to guide them to the top, but winning is a group effort.
When the going gets tough, it is important to know others can be relied upon to step up. While Jalen Brunson has been the star of his squad throughout the season, his supporting cast is a major reason the Knicks clinched their first NBA Finals berth since 1999.
Mike Brown’s Bench Philosophy
An NBA season can be a grueling marathon that takes a toll on players, especially stars. Utilizing a secondary unit is crucial in preventing stars from getting worn out as the playoffs continue.
Throughout the 2026 playoffs, the New York Knicks have received contributions from up and down their roster. The team has had to sacrifice usage, shots, and minutes — but has maintained belief in one another. The support in the Knicks’ locker room isn’t just among the players; Head Coach Mike Brown also infuses it.
Brown cites legendary championship coaches like Gregg Popovich and Steve Kerr for teaching him the value of going deep into a team’s bench. Brown was an assistant coach to Kerr for six seasons and was a part of three of the squad’s championships. He also spent three years as a coaching assistant to Popovich, winning a title with the Spurs in 2003.
Brown knows the importance of guys coming off the bench, having had a front row seat to Andre Iguodala and Manu Ginobili.
Over the course of nine seasons on Pop and Kerr’s staffs, he picked up an important message from the head coaches: keep the bigger picture in mind. Inject confidence into role players over the course of the regular season so they are ready and confident to provide a boost in the postseason.
“They both always used to say, ‘It’s not about now, it’s about the postseason. It’s not about now, it’s about the postseason,’” Brown said.
“And you keep guys engaged by doing that. You develop not just a bench but a team as well, because guys get used to playing with other guys just in case someone goes down.”
A Change in Ways
Mike Brown’s philosophy is a stark contrast to that of the Knicks’ previous head coach, Tom Thibodeau.
Thibodeau notoriously ran his stars into the ground, forcing extra mileage on their bodies. The starters-heavy approach may help accumulate wins in the regular season, but can often lead to an empty tank when the playoffs roll around.
Brunson’s regular-season minute average has remained similar from last season with Thibs to this season under Brown. But other starters, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart have all seen a substantial decrease in minutes this season. Iron-Man Bridges’ minutes dipped 12%, going from 37 minutes last season to 32.8 this season. The biggest difference has come in Hart’s court time — a staggering 20% plummet from 37.6 to 30.2 minutes.
Defensive specialists are often tasked with doing the nitty-gritty work and providing some offense, therefore, playing large minutes becomes even more taxing.
This season, Brown has leaned more heavily into the team’s bench. One key standout is Landry Shamet, who was also on the team last year. Brown increased his minutes by nearly 50% from the prior season, making use of his two-way abilities.
As a career 38.6% three-point shooter, his marksmanship from beyond the arc keeps defenses honest. On the other end of the floor, his defensive skillset eases the load off of Bridges, Anunoby, and Hart. He also boasts the highest net rating of the 2025-26 Conference Finals.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, Mike Brown’s decision to leverage his bench paid dividends. Shamet scorched from beyond the arc, going 11-for-12 over the course of the series. Against the 76ers in the semifinals round, he went 7-for-12 from deep.
Fifth-year guard Miles McBride has also provided a boost, shooting 11-for-26 and 11-for-23 on threes in the Hawks and 76ers series, respectively.
Heavy Minutes Taking a Toll on Players
The impetus behind playing reserves isn’t just because Knicks fans had griped with Thibs about it; one of his players also pushed for the change.
Mikal Bridges once called out Thibodeau to turn to his bench more and take it easy on starters’ minutes. He believed other players on the roster were more than capable of holding their own in a game.
“Sometimes it’s not fun on the body,” Bridges said. “We’ve got a lot of good guys on this team that can take away minutes. Which helps the defense, helps the offense, helps tired bodies being out there and giving up all these points. It helps just keeping fresh bodies out there.”
As someone who has never missed a game in his eight-year NBA career, no one cares more about player health and durability than Bridges.
It is also fitting that, at the time, Bridges mentioned Shamet as someone who deserved more opportunities.
“Sometimes you’ve got to tell him (Thibodeau), like Landry, for example, or somebody — keep him out there, they’re playing well.”
Thanks to the increased reliance on the second-string unit under Brown, the 29-year-old has now gotten his wish. The adjusted minutes load is also part of why Bridges has looked fresh this playoffs and found an offensive groove.
His points per game in the playoffs have slightly dropped from last season, but he is having the most efficient shooting postseason of his career. What’s more is that his turnovers have also decreased, and he is averaging 7.5 fewer minutes compared to last playoffs.
The Bench is Necessary in the Finals
Regardless of who the Knicks face in the NBA Finals, there will be no shortage of offensive and defensive threats on the other side. Role players can often swing a game or two in big playoff moments to push their team over the top.
Brunson, Towns, and the team’s starters will no doubt factor heavily in whether or not the team wins a championship. But the willingness to look beyond just the team’s stars just may be the reason the Knicks are the last ones standing.
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