Mike Brown did not hold back after the Knicks fell to the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. The coach called the free-throw discrepancy “pretty alarming” following the 115-107 loss at Madison Square Garden. New York took just 11 free throws while Cleveland earned 25, a gap that hurt the Knicks in the final possession count. Brown pointed out that Jalen Brunson played nearly 35 minutes without a single trip to the line.
“Jalen plays 34 minutes or almost 35 minutes and he has zero free-throw attempts,” Brown said. “That’s pretty alarming. I’m not sure how or why it’s that way.”
Why the Whistle Matters
Brown noted that the Knicks used to enjoy a massive advantage in free throws, but that edge vanished on Wednesday. He admitted the bad calls were part of the reason his team lost the possession battle against a strong opponent. James Harden was the main culprit for the Cavs, shooting as many free throws as the entire Knicks roster combined. Harden finished with a game-high 32 points, including clutch buckets that sealed the win.
Per the New York Post, this was the first time since February 11 last year that Brunson failed to attempt a free throw. The star guard has to contend with physical defense, but his coach thinks a zero‑point total in a game of this length is unacceptable. Brown said he just hopes for a better whistle when playing good teams because winning is already hard enough.
Brunson and the Bench React
Jalen Brunson tried to stay focused despite the frustration. He told reporters he has to control what he can control and keep moving forward. Miles McBride also felt the sting of a missed call late in the game when his shot was blocked. McBride thought it was a goaltend, and he said the guys on the bench agreed with his take.
Karl-Anthony Towns had a solid night with 21 points and 11 rebounds, matching a franchise record for double-doubles to start a season. But the rest of the starting lineup struggled to score. OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart combined for just 22 points on poor shooting. Bridges played only 17 minutes and sat out the entire fourth quarter as the team looked to others for help.
The Takeaway
The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for New York, and the officiating did not help their cause. “He’s a tough matchup for anybody in this league. You gotta tip your hat to him,” McBride said of the veteran star.
