New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown did not exactly express much confidence in his team following a second consecutive loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

After losing Game 2 to the Hawks at home in New York, the Knicks lost once again on the road in Atlanta and now trail in the series 1-2 during the opening round of the postseason in the Eastern Conference. While the Knicks are the higher seed, the Hawks are now in an advantageous position to advance unless something changes soon.

Following the loss, Brown spoke to reporters and shared the message he had for his team. According to Brown, he reminded his players that the Thunder were down two games to one during the postseason last year before winning the championship.

Mike Brown: "I told them this: It's a 7-game series for a reason. Stuff's gonna happen. Plenty of teams have been down 1-2. Sh*t I even think OKC was down 1-2 last year and they ended up winning it––I'm not saying we're gonna win it or anything like that…" pic.twitter.com/uVXxsete0a

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 24, 2026

While the Thunder indeed trailed to begin the series in the conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets, and also trailed against the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Finals, what Brown said next was more concerning.

He added "I'm not saying we're gonna win it or anything like that" which should strike immediate fear in all New York fans.

Why does he not have more belief in his roster, which is one of the most talented in the NBA when coached correctly, to win a championship?

Following the loss, Marcell Scott (who trains Knicks center Mitchell Robinson) posted on social media that Brown is "to nice" [sic] to coach the Knicks.

Whether it is kindness or a lack of confidence, this was a bad look for Brown as he looks to rally his team from behind against the Hawks to earn a spot in the conference semifinals in the Eastern Conference.

This article originally appeared on For The Win: Knicks - Hawks: Mike Brown quote shows why team is doomed in playoffs