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New York Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns received a big take from NBA legend Magic Johnson just ahead of Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Magic Johnson has seen enough from the New York Knicks to give Mike Brown, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson their flowers before the biggest series of New York’s season.
Johnson posted on X on May 19 that Brown deserves “a lot of credit” for the Knicks’ offensive growth, specifically pointing to the decision to use Towns as a “point center.” In Johnson’s view, that change has eased the burden on Brunson and helped Towns play “some of his best basketball” next to New York’s star guard.
That message lands at a timely moment. The Knicks open the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 19 at Madison Square Garden, with Game 1 scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on ESPN.
It also speaks to the biggest Knicks development of the postseason: New York is no longer just asking Brunson to solve every possession by himself.
Everyone should give Coach Mike Brown a lot of credit. He’s done a tremendous job this season, especially on the offensive end. It was a great decision to make Karl Anthony-Towns their point center, which took pressure off superstar Jalen Brunson having to handle the ball. KAT
Johnson’s post was not just a general compliment. It was a direct endorsement of Brown’s offensive structure.
“Everyone should give Coach Mike Brown a lot of credit,” Johnson wrote in the post. “He’s done a tremendous job this season, especially on the offensive end.”
The key line came next. Johnson said it was “a great decision” to make Towns the Knicks’ point center because it “took pressure off superstar Jalen Brunson having to handle the ball.”
That is the real story for New York.
Brunson remains the Knicks’ closer, engine and late-clock escape valve. But the version of the Knicks that has surged into the East Finals has not been built only around Brunson isolations. Towns has given New York another offensive hub, especially when he catches the ball above the break, surveys the floor and forces defenses to decide whether to stay home on shooters or send help.
The adjustment matters because Cleveland has the frontcourt size to challenge Towns in a traditional scoring role. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley can make post-ups and drives more crowded than they were in earlier rounds. But Towns as a passer is a different problem. If the Cavaliers load up on Brunson, Towns can punish the coverage before the possession stalls.
Johnson’s praise of Towns did not minimize Brunson’s role. It underlined it.
Brunson has been the Knicks’ most reliable playoff answer because he can score when a possession breaks down. During the first round Brown praised New York’s ability to execute at different points of the shot clock, especially through Brunson, calling it “a sign of a mature team.”
That late-clock ability is still essential in the conference finals. Cleveland will take things away. The Cavaliers have Donovan Mitchell’s shot creation, Allen and Mobley’s interior presence and enough postseason reps to force uncomfortable possessions.
But the difference for the Knicks is that Brunson no longer has to start and finish every difficult possession.
Towns can initiate. Josh Hart can push tempo. Mikal Bridges can attack tilted defenses. Miles McBride, who scored a postseason career-high 25 points in the Philadelphia closeout, gives New York another shooter Cleveland has to respect.
That is what makes Johnson’s message more than a celebrity reaction. It identifies the adjustment that has made the Knicks harder to guard.
The Cavaliers will get their chance to challenge it immediately.
The Cavaliers are entering the East Finals after two seven-game series, while the Knicks come in having not lost since April 23. The Cavaliers also noted New York has been beating playoff opponents by an average of 19.4 points during that run.
That sets up a clear tactical question for Game 1: Can Cleveland make Towns more of a scorer than a facilitator?
If the Cavaliers can keep Towns from picking apart coverages, they can push the Knicks back toward a Brunson-heavy offense. That may still be good enough on some nights, but it is the version Cleveland would rather face.
If Towns keeps making quick decisions, the Cavaliers’ choices get uncomfortable. Stay attached to shooters, and Brunson gets more room. Send extra help, and Towns can find the next pass. Play smaller, and Towns can punish the matchup. Stay big, and New York can try to stretch Cleveland away from the rim.
Johnson’s message was blunt, but it was also specific: Brown’s best adjustment has been giving Towns more responsibility, not less.
Now the Knicks get to see whether that formula can carry them one step closer to the NBA Finals.
Erik Anderson is an award-winning sports journalist covering the NBA, MLB and NFL for Heavy.com. He also focuses on the trading card market. His work has appeared in nationally-recognized outlets including The New York Times, Associated Press , USA Today, and ESPN. More about Erik Anderson
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