After the New York Knicks' opening night loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, Mike Brown gave some official confirmation to the suspicions fans of the orange and blue have had for decades. Whether players have been out for two games, two weeks, or two months — they seem to make it back in time to play at Madison Square Garden disproportionately often.
Brown credited his opponent before making clear that the Knicks left enough on the table to deem the loss self-inflicted. When asked about an adjustment period to becoming the league's "hunted" team, as opposed to one of its "hunters," he argued that it was nothing new for the Knicks — from a certain point of view. Brown said he knows, from first-hand experience, that his group has to be ready for their opponent's best on a nightly basis.
"I was an opponent coming into here, anytime somebody comes to MSG, whether we won it — like last year — or we didn't, it's a big game for them. It seems like more people get healthy coming to play at MSG than any other building. I was a part of that, as an opponent, coming in here. You like to play here." Brown told reporters after the team's loss to Philadelphia, per the team.
Knick fans already knew what Brown told reporters last Tuesday
Knick fans have joked for quite some time that The World's Most Famous Arena must have some kind of healing power that helps opposing stars return to action. Midway through the 2023-24 NBA season, this particular scribe overheard a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves' coaching staff giving a colleague their take on The Garden as a stage.
"Everybody has a career high at Madison Square Garden," said the coach who will remain anonymous, out of respect, but likely wouldn't mind their name being attached to the potentially slightly exaggerated, but certainly empirical, observation.
New Yorkers may purport to be annoyed at the seemingly-consistent ability of players to heal up on time to visit the Knicks. It is, however, part of a necessary trade-off. Rival players pushing through some pain, or speeding through the final stages of their rehabilitation, to compete at Madison Square Garden is integral to the allure and mythos of the building.
There's likely only one thing the Knicks can do to make The Garden an even more enticing arena for modern NBA players to suit up in. After all, didn't they close out last year's championship run on the road?
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