The New York Knicks were down 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks, and nobody was letting Mike Brown forget it. Fans were calling him a bad hire, too soft, not the right guy for this team. His comments after the Game 3 loss, where he basically said the series was not over but also stopped short of guaranteeing anything, became a punching bag across social media.
Then the Knicks won three straight. Not just won, but demolished Atlanta in Games 4, 5, and 6 by 16, 29, and 51 points. The finale was a 140-89 blowout where the Knicks held a 47-point lead at halftime, an NBA playoff record.
That last game was what flipped the conversation. A Knicks fan account on X posted a photo of Brown with a simple message saying the fanbase owes him an apology. The replies showed fans are nowhere near ready to agree.
Knicks Fans React to Mike Brown Apology Debate
New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown
Most of the fanbase said no, and they had receipts. The replies told the full story, from people who are still skeptical, to people who are absolutely not apologizing until they see a lot more.
One fan said they are not apologizing yet and set a clear bar before that happens: “Nahh, not yet. Let’s see if he can clear Thibs run and get the boys to the Finals and maybe win it all 🔥🔥”
Another kept it short and said they would wait to see how the next round plays out: “Not yet… let’s see how the next round goes 😂”
One fan said they have no plans to apologize until the Knicks reach the Finals: “Iam not apologizing for shit till we at least get to the finals”
Another pointed out the obvious ceiling on what Brown has actually done so far: “Nah, haven’t gotten to The Finals though”
One fan put it in context: “No the f**k we don’t. He kept KAT in jail for 80+ games and had yall wanting him traded for Anthony Davis”
What Is Next for the Knicks in the 2026 NBA Playoffs
Karl Anthony Towns
The Knicks are in the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the fourth straight year. They are waiting to find out who they will face, and that answer comes down to Game 7 between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers.
If Philly wins Game 7, the Knicks get a Sixers team riding serious momentum, led by Embiid and a suddenly confident Maxey.
If Boston survives, New York would face a Celtics team they eliminated in last year’s playoffs, with Tatum coming in nursing a calf injury from Game 6 and the team looking shaky from three-point range all series.
Either matchup is a significant step up from Atlanta. The Knicks showed they can blow a team out when locked in. The question is whether Mike Brown can get them there consistently against tougher competition, which is exactly what the fans in those replies are waiting to see.
Mike Brown Still Getting Hate From Knicks Fans After Eliminating the Hawks