Knicks coach Mike Brown, who is bullish on communication, said he initiated the conversations with Mikal Bridges just because it felt like a natural time.

The fight occurred in the second game of back-to-back between the Suns and Pelicans, a miniseries that had already included some tense moments

It’s now a part of their identity — forged on the back of the Clutch Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson — and they pulled it off again Monday in a sloppy victory over the Pelicans, 130-125, but a victory nonetheless.

Adam Silver’s latest tweak to the All-Star format is to divide the 24 All-Stars into three teams — two featuring players from the U.S. and the other with international players — for a round-robin tournament with shortened games.

It’s not quite what the Knicks envisioned when they put this bench together, but it doesn’t matter if it works.

Karl-Anthony Towns started the job in Hotlanta, and OG Anunoby finished it. 

Towns entered Saturday’s game against the Hawks with 31 offensive fouls, by far the most in the NBA. Jaren Jackson Jr. was second with 24.