The New York Knicks earned a gritty but entertaining win over the Chicago Bulls on Sunday night, snapping their three-game losing streak and remaining undefeated at home.

Jalen Brunson once again led the charge, finishing with 31 points, five rebounds, and three assists, while knocking down four three-pointers. On a night when the Knicks seemingly couldn’t miss, Brunson made his presence felt early, dropping 19 points in the first quarter to set the tone for the evening.

A Tale of Two Voices

The Knicks entered Sunday looking to bounce back after Friday night’s loss to Chicago — a game defined by lineup struggles and defensive lapses, particularly in containing Josh Giddey, who nearly posted a triple-double. Whether it was defensive breakdowns or poor on-court chemistry, head coach Mike Brown took full accountability, a rare gesture in today’s NBA.

After the win, SNY’s Ian Begley asked Brunson about Brown’s self-critique and the adjustments needed moving forward.

“Mike’s going to make the decisions, and no matter what he does, we’re going to have his back,” Brunson said. “Regardless of what he does and who else is in there, we gotta be ready to go… obviously when shooting the ball there comes rhythm, but then there are other things that come with the game of basketball… if he says that, great, but we gotta have each other’s back.”

Whether Brunson fully agrees or not, the reality is that Mike Brown is implementing an entirely new system compared to Tom Thibodeau’s. Brunson and Thibodeau shared a strong player-coach relationship, which made Thibodeau’s firing a surprising pivot — especially after the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years.

Brown’s philosophy and rotation patterns remain a work in progress for both the players and the fan base. After using 11 players on opening night, Brown has begun refining his approach, leaning on returning contributors like Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson to stabilize the rotation.

The Response

“The last couple of games, I was all over with the substitutions, so it’s hard for those guys to get a rhythm,” Brown admitted. “I have to do a better job — and I thought I did tonight — of trying to have a rotation and stick with it, while still playing 9.5, 10 guys.”

Brown, who typically favors a 10-man rotation, shortened his bench to nine players on Sunday, with Guerschon Yabusele logging just three minutes. Landry Shamet and Miles McBride have emerged as dependable energy players off the bench, bringing much-needed defensive intensity.

As the Knicks continue to find their footing under Brown’s leadership, one thing is clear: accountability is becoming a core part of their identity. Whether it’s Brunson, Towns, Brown, or even James Dolan, the message is unified — the Knicks are far from perfect, but they’re still a force to be reckoned with.