ATLANTA — Mike Brown started the sport the same method, preserving his beginning unit intact.
But notably, he also ended the sport the same method to proceed the rising concern around Mikal Bridges.
After acknowledging forward of Game 4 that the Knicks were contemplating shaking up the beginning unit, Brown caught with his weapons and stored Bridges in the beginning lineup.
Bridges recorded eight factors in 19 minutes in the Knicks’ 114-98 win over the Hawks on Saturday evening at State Farm Arena to even the collection at 2-2.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker steals the ball from Mikal Bridgets during the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks on April 25, 2026 in Atlanta. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
“We’ve won a lot of games with the starting group,” Brown said. “I didn’t want to panic and just change anything. Obviously, we changed some stuff strategy-wise, but I didn’t want to change anything with the starting group because I didn’t feel a need to.”
If these 19 minutes appear odd for a starter, there is a cause for that. After Bridges checked out with 7:34 left in the third quarter, he was benched the relaxation of the method. Miles McBride was on the flooring in his place.
It mirrored the finish of the Knicks’ Game 3 loss, when Bridges was benched — equally for McBride — for the overwhelming majority of the second half.
“At the end of the day, I just felt that [McBride] had it rolling,” Brown said. “They were gonna double Jalen [Brunson]. When they did, [McBride] hit some big 3s. So if a guy has it rolling, he may have a chance to stay out on the floor, that’s all it was.”
To start the playoffs, it appeared like Jose Alvarado was out of the playoff rotation. But he’s crept back in — and is making an affect.
Jose Alvarado is held back by Mike Brown after he got into a bit of a dustup with Mouhamed Gueye in the first quarter of the Knicks’ 114-98 Game 4 win over the Hawks, forcing the Atlanta ahead into a technical foul. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
He recorded six factors in 14 minutes Saturday.
He also introduced a bit of his trademark snarl — quickly after checking in for the first time at the finish of the first quarter, he got into a bit of a dustup with Mouhamed Gueye and pressured Gueye into a technical foul.
His rise has come at the expense of Landry Shamet, whose struggles at the finish of the common season bled into the starting of the playoffs.
Shamet, who only performed in rubbish time Saturday, seems to now be out of the rotation.
“He was huge,” Brown said of Alvarado. “He hit two big 3s. He was a guy that they were gonna leave open. He works very hard on his 3-point shooting. He took the right shots tonight. And then defensively, he tried to be a pest. What he did out on the floor for us gave us a huge lift, especially when Jalen was out.”
Brunson surpassed John Starks for the fourth-most complete factors in the playoffs in franchise historical past.
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