The New York Knicks are in the first season of the Mike Brown era and like with any new head coach coming into a team, there are some growing pains. 

Despite their recent struggles, the Knicks are still one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference with a 25-16 record and stand out as a top-10 team in both average points and rebounds. 

Brown has distinguished himself from his predecessor Tom Thibodeau in the way that utilizes rotations more often and gives his young players like Tyler Kolek, who is averaging 13.6 minutes per game this season compared to just 7.2 minutes per game last season. 

To his credit, the way that Brown has shaken up the Knicks' scheme from last season with the strong start the Knicks had to the season, and Brown's faith is clearly not shaken even with New York's recent skid where the team has seven of their last nine games. 

Still, even a successful head coach brings a shakeup to team dynamics that the players that have been there for years have to re-settle in to. 

“It's a learning process for all of us," Karl-Anthony Towns said. "We're still adjusting and getting used to the new system. Just trying to understand our new roles and what we can do to impact the game as much as for winning. Different year, different scheme. We all adjust and try to do our best to help this team have a chance to win every day.”

Towns has possibly experienced the biggest adjustment under Brown's system. Towns has long played as a traditional big man, playing the post and remaining centered in the paint, but Brown has challenged Towns to play on the perimeter more often and expand as a playmaker, rather than simply a traditional center role. 

That transition hasn't always been smooth. His average assists are actually down at this point in the season in his new playmaking-focused role, though the trouble with turnovers he had earlier in the season appears to have leveled out as Towns is averaging just 2.9 turnovers per game, his lowest mark since the 2017-18 season. 

More playmaking from not just Towns, but the entire team would be something the Knicks would benefit greatly from. 

As dominant as the Knicks' offense has been, they've achieved that largely through pure shooting power. The Knicks are 11th in average assists with 26.9 per game, which isn't a bad mark by any means, but still leaves something to be desired. 

Should the Knicks realize the fast-paced, ball movement oriented scheme that Brown is looking for they could rise even farther up in the ranks of the NBA's offense and get back on track to the high-level play that made them so successful to start the year. 

Still, half of a season is hardly enough time for any team to adjust to a new head coach and Mike Brown could lead New York to glory yet.