Knicks’ Mike Brown hints at finalizing playoff rotation from gritty Hawks win

Ahead of the New York Knicks’ nationally-televised Thursday night game against the Boston Celtics, reporters asked head coach Mike Brown about the team’s rotational plans for the postseason. The coach revealed that the nine players that saw the court on Monday in a 108-105 win against the Atlanta Hawks would “probably be” the top-nine members of his rotation for the postseason.

With three regular season games left until the Knicks officially have to start thinking playoffs, Brown left the door open to changes. The coach, however, didn’t sound like someone on the verge of acting on that possibility.

“You won’t tell anybody?” Brown joked with the gaggle of reporters waiting to Tweet his every word. “Those guys are probably our top nine and, when you’re talking about the playoffs, it’s hard to play more than nine guys. Trying to find a way to get those guys on the floor, with the right combinations, at the right times, is something I’m messing around with. But it’s close. There might be a few things I might change.”

Outside of usual starters Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Karl-Anthony Towns, the group of nine players from Monday’s game included Landry Shamet, Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson, and Jordan Clarkson. Each of those players spent at least 20 minutes on the court against the Hawks, except for Clarkson (9).

Jordan Clarkson makes Knicks’ playoff rotation over Jose Alvarado

Clarkson’s inclusion in Brown’s top nine may shock those who saw the 33-year-old guard log just 133 total minutes from Jan. 19 through March 6. But he received new life when Brown desperately needed scoring against the Los Angeles Lakers, and hasn’t let go of the opportunity since.

The guard reinvented his game, going from artistic bench scorer to 94-foot defender. Including March 6 against the Denver Nuggets, his first game of the month, Clarkson averaged 9.4 points and 1.5 assists on 54.4% shooting, and just 0.5 turnovers per game, in the third month of 2026.

With trade deadline acquisition Jose Alvarado struggling to consistently impact games in short spurts, Brown seems to have chosen the veteran for his likely Knicks playoff rotation. It’s a quick turnaround from early March, when the coach told reporters one month after New York acquired the 27-year-old that Alvarado had proven “irreplaceable.”

New York’s intriguing rookie, Mohamed Diawara, is also notably absent from Brown’s penciled-in plans. The rookie impressed throughout the regular season with his size and defensive instincts, but saw his role perpetually shrink as the playoffs grew closer.

The Knicks may end up tapping into the abilities of the rest of their reserves, but it certainly seems like they plan to start the postseason without them being a part of the plan on the floor.

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