Mike Brown Did What?
In the New York Knicks (2-1) 115-107 road loss to the Miami Heat, Mike Brown decided to have Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns on the bench in the back half of the third quarter, and, for Brunson, it extended into the fourth. What was a one-point game turned into a 22-6 Heat run.
So much was made of Tom Thibodeau and the number of minutes his starters played, and one of Brown’s goals is to reduce minutes, but it can’t be at the expense of a potential road win when one of the Heat’s best players (Tyler Herro) didn’t play.
Doncic Out
As competitive as the Western Conference should be this season, teams can’t mail away games. It’s why Luka Doncic’s (finger) absence, along with LeBron James’ (sciatica), is something the Lakers will need to manage.
In the old days, James’ teams could lose early in the season and, by the playoffs, could win series whether they had home-court advantage or not. Those days are long gone. Even with home-court advantage, the Lakers aren’t guaranteed anything.
JJ Redick will have a chance to show his critics that he can coach better than what he’s been given credit for.
Gambling Scandal
There isn’t much to say about what is happening with Chauncey Billups until more details come out. I know situations like this have become “Hot Take” central, but having as many details as possible is essential.
Either way, it’s not a good look for the NBA, whether it’s involving high-stakes poker games or something on the floor.
It’s easy to blame the gambling industry, but at some point, there has to be individual responsibility.
