The New York Knicks' first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks hasn't been the smoothest , but New York is finally back in control ahead of Game 6.

Much of the blame for the Knicks' falling down 2-1 in the series initially fell on head coach Mike Brown , who not only allowed a struggling Jalen Brunson to hijack the offense but also ran nonsensical bench-heavy lineups and didn't pivot away from them.

However, a ton of credit is also owed to Brown now for making tactical adjustments that have paid dividends. This willingness to deviate from his predetermined plans paints a stark contrast to his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau, and puts the franchise in a position to enjoy a longer postseason run than Thibs ever did.

Mike Brown's adjustments helping turn around Knicks' playoff potential

After Game 3, the Knicks were in a dangerous state. Brown's insistence on playing bench lineups without a primary ball handler or No. 1 option allowed Atlanta to chip away at leads and get back into the series.…