Mike Brown is ready to rest the New York Knicks' starters in the season finale originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Knicks clinched the third seed with their victory on Friday. It was the 81st game of the season, which makes their season finale a game with no major repercussions.
Head coach Mike Brown and his staff have the option to rest their best players ahead of the Playoffs. Considering they would benefit from the rest, it seems the staff is cognizant of the potential changes.
Considering they are now the third seed, the Knicks will have their matchup for the Playoffs against the sixth seed. Their opponent is still unclear, but they have bought themselves some time to rest and prepare.
Players like Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns have earned themselves some rest. They have been playing well for a long time, so they will likely sit out the final game against the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday.
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Brown is alluding to the decision, but it seems they are already preparing to sit out the game. It will be against the Hornets, which would be a fun matchup, but the Knicks can stomach a loss at this point in the season.
"I'm not sure, we'll talk about it. We want to go into the Playoffs as healthy as possible. We'll discuss it in the next day or so, we'll see what happens," Brown said about the Knicks' lineup decision for the season finale.
Mikal Bridges is a fixture of the starting lineup with a consecutive games streak on the line. He will probably be in the rotation, but that will most likely be just a minute to start the game.
For the rest of the Knicks, it will be a way to stand out. Players like Tyler Kolek and Jordan Clarkson might find it as an opportunity to shine amid all of the high-pressure games they had to play to secure a spot in the Playoffs.
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