Mike Brown did not sound like a coach enjoying a hard-earned comeback. Not after the Knicks erased a 21-point deficit and squeaked past a Golden State team that was missing several regulars, winning 110-107 at Madison Square Garden.

Why Brown was not smiling

The win looked dramatic on the scoreboard. The start looked like a problem on every other sheet of paper in the building. Brown kept the mood serious in his postgame comments, refusing to hand out a Defensive Player of the Game and saying the group must figure out how to start games better, both as individuals and as a team.

First-quarter numbers that make a coach frown

The data backs him up. Since March 6 the Knicks have had the NBA's second-worst first-quarter net rating. Stretch the window back to Feb. 24 and New York ranks 27th to open games, with opponents outscoring them by about 14 points per 100 possessions in first quarters.

  • Sunday's game began badly: Golden State opened 36-21 after one quarter and pushed the lead to 46-25 early in the second.
  • Across the last six games the Knicks have allowed 27.9 points per 100 possessions in first quarters, though they are 4-2 in that stretch.
  • Recent first-quarter losses include starts against Denver, the Lakers, the Clippers, the Jazz and the Warriors.

Where the pain lands - the starters

The usual starting five of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart has logged roughly 300 more minutes together than any other Knicks group. For that much continuity, the returns have been modest. That five-man unit has outscored opponents by only 3.7 points per 100 possessions overall this season.

Worse: since Feb. 24 that starting group has been outscored by about 12.4 points per 100 possessions in 122 minutes together. Lineups featuring Brunson and Towns over their last 10 games have been outscored by roughly 8 points per 100 possessions.

Coaching and possible changes

Brown accepted responsibility and said the issue starts with him as head coach. He did not rule out changing the starting five and said he will make a move if he believes it is necessary. For now he is focused on individual accountability and getting the group to bring a higher level of focus and physicality to opening minutes.

Players' takes

Karl-Anthony Towns pointed to mentality as part of the issue. He said the team is not bringing the same aggression early that they do when they fall behind, and that leaning on comebacks is not a sustainable plan.

Jalen Brunson emphasized details and preparation. He said the team needs to focus on scouting, attention to detail and the small things that shape a game, so they do not have to spend large portions of nights clawing back into contests.

Bench adjustments and short-term fixes

Jordan Clarkson has been used more as a spark plug lately. He saw increased minutes in Utah, Indiana and Sunday, and has produced 27, 8 and 14 points in those games respectively. Brown has leaned on him to try to change the flow when the starters are not setting the tone.

That is a workable stopgap. It is not a solution for a team that wants to be judged on playoff expectations rather than on its ability to survive slow starts.

What really matters

The Knicks can still win games while opening slowly. They have done it often enough to believe they can make it a habit. Brown made the point clearly: survival cannot be the standard for this roster in March if they expect to accomplish anything significant in May and June.

He sounded the alarm after a win that looked great on the surface but exposed the same first-quarter problems as recent games. That combination is the most dangerous outcome for a team that needs to be sharp from the tip.