The New York Knicks' front office hired Mike Brown in large part because they were looking for a head coach that would collaborate with them. The coach emphasized his willingness to collaborate with the team's braintrust from day one, telling reporters often that he works in tandem with Leon Rose and other executives on a daily basis.
In recent games, the coach has shown that he's willing to make the kind of short-term sacrifices that Tom Thibodeau may not have until the final week of the regular season. Brown is resting starters, from Jalen Brunson against the Indiana Pacers to Josh Hart in Friday's road game against the Brooklyn Nets.
Brown resting key Knick starters with playoffs less than a month away
Brunson getting some rest against the Pacers worked out just fine for the Knicks, too, even though Indiana has seemed to abandon their tank every time they've played them in recent months. Funnily enough, it was Hart who took over the brunt of the team's scoring responsibilities. The Swiss Army knife had 33 points on 12-13 shooting, which included a scorching hot 5-5 performance from behind the 3-point line.
It's worth remembering in the wake of Hart's standout performance, though, that he's been playing the entire season thus far with a splint on his finger. That fact both makes his recent shooting prowess more endearing – or perhaps frustrating for the Pacers – as well as brings up the need for getting him some much-needed rest, too.
Hart's high-motor style of play certainly isn't easy on the body, even though he's no longer the NBA's minutes leader. Brown set out to oversee lower minute totals for all of his starters, something that Thibodeau faced plenty of criticism for over the years. But with the playoffs less than one month away, it makes complete sense for Brown and the team's training staff to guide players to invest their time into recovery.
Much like the Pacers, the Nets aren't looking to win games here at the end of the regular season either. The Knicks should be able to easily dispatch them. However, that's exactly what fans thought of their recent matchup against a depleted Golden State Warriors squad that was without most of its top players in Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler II and more.
These are the exact games that the Knicks should lean into their depth for. Someone like Hart is going to be crucial to their chances in the postseason, particularly given what their recent struggles have been with. Brunson's impact on this team doesn't need to be discussed: he's the captain for a reason and seems primed to make another All-NBA team.
If getting them rest now helps the Knicks win later, so be it.