With two 100-plus point outings and another that nearly hit triple digits, the New York Knicks have swept their preseason slate. But it isn’t the scoreline drawing attention- it’s Mike Brown’s unconventional approach that has everyone talking. The new head coach isn’t installing rigid sets or scripted actions; instead, he’s empowering his players to read and react to the defense in real time.

This experiment has had some bumpy moments. In a recent overtime win against Minnesota, the team only scored 38 points in the first half. Also, the team managed only 32 of 85 in shooting in that game. Despite the low scoring and poor shooting, Brown is not worried about the results. Following a third consecutive exhibition win, the coach revealed a surprising fact about his offensive strategy.

Mike Brown revealed his surprising strategy after a recent victory, confirming he has installed zero offensive plays for the team to run. Instead of using a playbook, Brown wants his players to learn by simply playing fast. “We played the entire game out of our read-and-react early offense. We don’t have a single play call in yet,” Brown disclosed after the game.

Brown’s offensive vision is deeply influenced by his six years as an assistant with the Golden State Warriors. “My six years in Golden State, you can’t replicate what Steve Kerr and Draymond [Green] and Steph [Curry] and Klay [Thompson] and those guys do there,” Brown explained.

“But try to take a lot from them and form my own system.” He believes this style, which he previously used with the Nigerian national team and Sacramento Kings, can pressure opponents effectively.

The new head coach isn’t installing rigid sets or scripted actions; instead, he’s empowering his players to read and react to the defense in real time.

Brown’s early practices and preseason rotations have emphasized spontaneous decision-making- encouraging guards to flow into secondary actions, wings to exploit mismatches, and bigs to make quick reads from the elbows rather than waiting for a play call.

It’s a stark philosophical shift from the structure-heavy, grind-it-out style under Tom Thibodeau. Where Thibs demanded execution, Brown is demanding recognition- a free-flowing, adaptive offense that forces defenders to make choices instead of reacting to them.

The preseason has exposed some growing pains, particularly with shooting. Against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Knicks attempted 57 three-pointers but made only 15, a 26.3% conversion rate. Despite the undefeated 3-0 exhibition record, Brown described the first-half offense as “sloppy” but highlighted improvement later.

The new coach explained his reasoning for this unique preseason plan. “We want to play this way most of the time,” Brown said. He acknowledged that play calls will be added later for specific late-game situations, but his immediate focus is on building foundational habits.

A key metric for Brown is “sprays,” which refer to drive-and-kick actions that generate open three-point looks. He wants the Knicks to average 17-18 sprays per game, a significant increase from their previous offensive style. “We ended up with 23 sprays for the game, which is pretty good,” Brown said after one contest.

Player reactions to the new system have been largely positive. Mikal Bridges, a player who thrives on cutting and movement, endorsed the philosophy. “You don’t really need plays,” Bridges said.

He explained that playing this way makes the offense less predictable because even the players read and react in real time. However, Jalen Brunson has recently expressed his feelings about the offense strategy.

Jalen Brunson reveals true feelings about the strategy

Star point guard Jalen Brunson is at the center of this offensive transformation. He shared his perspective on adapting to the system, emphasizing fundamentals and trust. “What we’re working on is just the basics of our offense and everything,” Brunson said. “It’s going to take time. It’s not always going to be perfect, but it’s all about how we’re going to continue to trust it, continue to learn it.”

Brunson acknowledged that the adjustment is a process that will extend throughout the season. He expressed his growing comfort level with the new demands. “I’m comfortable,” Brunson stated.

“We’re still adjusting, and that’s the process of this entire season. You’re not just gonna be who you are at the end of training camp. You’re gonna continue to get better throughout the season.”

Brunson echoed this sentiment, stressing the importance of sticking to the system even when shots aren’t falling. “We’re getting good looks, and we’re really trying to hit home all the stuff we’ve been working on all preseason,” he said. “In basketball, sometimes it goes in, sometimes it doesn’t. But we just got to do the things we know contribute to winning.”