Last night’s game between the Clippers and Knicks was a weird one. The Knicks entered with a record of 23-13, good for third place in the Eastern Conference, and were still the betting favorites to get to the Finals. They came in riding a four-game losing streak, though, which was like the inverse of the Clippers. L.A. was 13-22 and tied for 11th in the West, but were winners of seven of their past eight, making them one of the hottest teams in the league.
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Order was restored when the Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson’s efficient 26-point night, emerged with a 123-111 win. It was a much-needed win for New York, especially as they’ve fallen off after winning the NBA Cup and allowed the Celtics to surge past them in the standings. For the Clippers, the loss knocked them 2.5 games back of the Grizzlies for the final play-in spot.
Knicks head coach Mike Brown has brought a different energy to the team than his predecessor, Tom Thibodeau, and that was evident in the postgame press conference when he had some fun at the expense of his counterpart, Ty Lue.
Brown was asked about a story that Lue still owed him $100 from a bet the two made nearly two decades ago, and though he at first feigned ignorance, he quickly pivoted into calling Lue out like a wrestling heel.
“Ty you making $14 million this year? I think it was just $100. Who’s here from the Clippers media? Please, help me get my money,” Brown said with a most sincere look on his face.
“Ty you making $14 million this year? I think it was just $100. Who’s here from the Clippers media? Please, help me get my money”
– Mike Brown on Ty Lue owing him $100 from a 1998 shooting contest
Brown claims Lue won’t pay up
Lue claims Brown refuses when he tries to pic.twitter.com/J07sACCicI
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 8, 2026
The way Brown looks directly at the camera to make his plea is just too funny, as is the fact that he took no more questions and basically mic-dropped his way out of the press room.
For what it’s worth, Lue supposedly lost a shooting contest to Brown all those years ago, and he’s claimed that he’s tried repeatedly over the years to pay up, but Brown always refuses to take his money.
Think about it. You’re an NBA coach who has made millions of dollars, so what does $100 matter to you? It’s much more worth it to be able to get in front of the cameras and call your friend a deadbeat for 17 years and counting.
That’s a solid prank, and Brown was clearly tickled with himself as he could barely keep a grin off his face.
By this point, Brown needs to ramp it up by asking Lue for interest. If the juice has been running since 1998, he could claim a pretty penny. On the other hand, the lower the amount owed is, the worse it makes Lue look, so Brown knows what he’s doing.
Well played, sir. Your team won last night’s game, but you got the more important victory over the guy on the other bench.
