Brown had some thoughts on a change in the rotation.
The New York Knicks are 51-28 and sitting third in the Eastern Conference, but their starting lineup has been one of the most talked-about topics around the team all season.
After Monday's 108-105 win over the Atlanta Hawks, head coach Mike Brown left no doubt that he is sticking with what he has heading into the playoffs.
"I don't believe in never ever. But right now we're going to start that five and that's how I foresee it," the coach said. "If I feel I need to make a change at any time, I'll make a change. But I don't feel that way right now."
The Starting Five and Its Numbers
The current starting group of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns has logged the third-most minutes together of any five-man lineup in the NBA this season.
Despite all that time on the floor together, the unit carries a net rating of just plus-0.7, and the first-quarter numbers have been even rougher with a minus-8.1 net rating to start games.
Those numbers do not exactly scream championship caliber, and the conversation around potential changes has been simmering for weeks.
Brown acknowledged that he and his staff have had ongoing discussions about adjustments, saying there is "always going to be chatter" about the lineup.
What Changes Have Been Considered?
According to reports, one idea that was floated involved inserting Landry Shamet into the starting five, though it remains unclear who would have come out.
Brown already made one lineup change earlier this season when he moved Mitchell Robinson out of the starting group and replaced him with Hart, ditching the double-big look he opened the year with.
The bench has become a real strength for New York too, with Miles McBride, Robinson, Shamet and Jordan Clarkson forming a deep second unit that has given the Knicks flexibility all season long.
Monday Helped the Case to Stay Put
The win in Atlanta actually gave Brown some ammunition to keep things as they are.
The starters built an early lead before the first substitution came in and then closed the game together with a strong run down the stretch.
Brunson led the way with 30 points and 13 assists while Towns added 21 points and 12 rebounds after missing the previous game with an elbow issue.
The Hawks had won 13 straight at home before the Knicks went in and snapped that streak, which only adds to the argument that this group can get it done when it matters most.
Brown used a tight nine-man rotation that looks like his playoff blueprint, and the results spoke for themselves.
With three games left in the regular season and the playoffs right around the corner, Brown seems comfortable rolling with continuity over experimentation.
The numbers say the starting five has been average at best, but the record says 51 wins and a top-three seed in the East, and that is what Brown is betting on.