Knicks coach Mike Brown said he would have taken a win against the 76ers, but he acknowledged he would not have been satisfied with the way his team played.
Brown said leaning on late-game magic was not the kind of formula he wanted to see, even if it had produced a victory. He also made clear that the energy and feel-good atmosphere of ring night would not be enough to define a positive start to the season.
His comments reflected concern with the Knicks’ overall performance, despite the possibility of escaping with a result. Brown’s message was direct: the standard has to be higher than simply finding a way late.