Knicks head coach Mike Brown was impressed with Pacome Dadiet’s performance, and has a tip for him to take things one step further going forward.
The New York Knicks have gotten off to a flying start in preseason, going 2-0 against the Philadelphia 76ers in their games in Abu Dhabi.
Despite the initial concerns after their first game, with Josh Hart seemingly getting injured, the Knicks held the 76ers off in yet another strong performance.
While it was Mitchell Robinson who impressed Knicks fans last game, today’s performance was down to Jalen Brunson’s solid 14-point showing.
But there was another player who caught the eye of Mike Brown, and that was Pacome Dadiet. And while Brown believes he can be a strong player, he wants him to make one big change.
Mike Brown says Pacome Dadiet loses focus, can be a defensive monster
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown spoke about Pacome Dadiet after the team’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
While he appreciates what Dadiet can bring to the table as a defender, he did knock him for losing focus and not being in tune with the game throughout.
“We emphasize offensive rebounding, and he had a beautiful crash of the glass. He’s long, he’s athletic. He went up, got the ball, and he sprayed it, and we ended up knocking down a three.
“He could be a monster defensively. He’s just got to play with a sense of urgency defensively and awareness every single possession.
“Every once in a while, he just relaxes, and when he relaxes, he’s not using his length, his athleticism, and all the other attributes that he has to make him a great defender.
“So he’s just got to stay in tune and play with a sense of urgency defensively and offensively. “He’s got to understand how to space the floor.
“He’s got to know when to cut, when to move up, when to slide down. But for a young guy, he had a solid, solid two games.”
New York Knicks aiming for championship run this season
A 2-0 start against a conference rival, even in preseason, is a good sign for the New York Knicks. The franchise made massive changes this summer to try and compete for an NBA championship.
While Charles Barkley picked the 76ers over the Knicks in the East, the Knicks are showing why they are one of the teams to beat in the conference.
As the Knicks return to the US to finish their preseason training and games, they will be looking to carry this momentum forward into the regular season.
For the first time in a very long time, the Knicks feel like genuine contenders to win the NBA championship.
