If you are reading this, congratulations.
There are many overs still going through the hangover.
Here’s even more after Monday’s NBA Finals clincher.
Mike Brown
On the team’s playoff versatility and growing belief:
“Our group has been playing good basketball, and they’re doing it in different ways. They’re doing it differently depending on who our opponent is. And when you show that kind of versatility on both sides of the floor,
it adds to your belief.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On Brunson’s work ethic, setting the tone:
“The magic’s in the work; he’s a testament of that. He believes in that. He showcases that every single day to all of us and drives us all to be better.”
On the Knicks’ hunger for more:
“This team is hungry, and that’s the most important thing with the amazing, historical win we had tonight. The celebrations were minimal. We really wanna get back to work. It’s OK for New York, the fans, us, our fan base to enjoy this moment and be jubilant about this — but for us as the players, we understand that the job’s not done.”
Mikal Bridges
On wanting to chase a title alongside Brunson:
“There’s no other player, no other guard that I want to be along[side other] than JB.”
Landry Shamet
On the Knicks’ balanced scoring attack:
“The beautiful thing of this group is it could be a different guy every night. Josh Hart had a great shooting night this series when they were sagging off him, he made a bunch of shots. It could be Duece, it could be anybody off the bench.”
On keeping the focus after reaching the Finals:
“We’ll talk about it later. Like I said, the job’s not done. It just means everything to be going to the Finals. And we got a lot more to do. We’re obviously very happy, very excited. But like I said, more to do. I enjoy the little shower beer. That was the extent of my celebrating this evening. We’re excited. On to the next one.”
On embracing the love from Knicks fans:
“It’s a lot. It’s fun. I love Knicks fans, man. I love New York. I love all of it. It’s home. It’s special.”
Jalen Brunson
On representing the franchise and its history:
“It’s an honor playing for this organization and the history it has. Seeing the former players around all the time, that makes it even more special.”
On not overthinking the ongoing historic run:
“It’s something I haven’t really put into perspective and thought about because we’re still writing our story.”
Lavar Ball
On the reason under Cleveland’s loss to the Knicks:
“Just finished watching the Knicks and Cleveland game. Man, nothing more satisfying. Man, they got my son Lonzo for this exact moment. Y’all didn’t get him for the season, you got him for this right here and look how you all get BLOWN out.”
On what Cleveland lacked without Lonzo Ball:
“Cuz you don’t have no easy transitional buckets. That’s what Lonzo do. Fast break points and defense. And what did y’all lose on? Fast break and defense and no intensity and no good leadership. Because that’s what Lonzo does.”
On his message to LaMelo’s Charlotte Hornets:
“But, y’all gotta learn the hard way. Big Baller knows everything. Alright Charlotte, go get them boys.”
Jeff Van Gundy
On how New York embraced him as a coach:
“People always said New York is only a place to coach if you’re a star or celebrity, and from the first day in New York, I never felt that. I felt they were more attracted to the common man with a common upbringing, and I think that chant was really a nice recognition for someone trying to do his job. Very few things I remember without having my memory jogged from that part of my life, because the games and seasons run together. But that chant is something I will never forget. I don’t think the people there that night understood what that meant to my family and me.”
On considering this the greatest playoff run in Knicks history:
“To win that many in a row in dominant fashion, to me, the Knicks are the favorite now to win it all. They are playing that good, they’re healthy and everything is going great for them. You can say, well, Atlanta this and Philly and Cleveland that, but when you win road playoff games by 50, and you’re kicking ass and taking names, anybody who tries to diminish that is wrong. This is the greatest playoff run in Knicks history. They still have to win it, but there’s never been a Knicks team this dominant. They are just waylaying people.”
Stephen A. Smith
On the Knicks reaching the Finals and chasing more:
“Finally, 27 years. We’re here, and we ain’t finished. I said we were gonna go to the Finals, we’re going to the Finals. We’re gonna win the Finals. Go, New York, go New York, go!”
Mike Breen
On witnessing his lifelong dream as a Knicks fan:
“I’ve been rooting for the Knicks since I’ve been seven years old and to have a team like this is pretty darn special.”
Shaq
On the Knicks’ true talent:
“They are so good. I owe the whole state and all five boroughs of New York an apology. Yes, I want to apologize to Spike Lee, Tracy Morgan, Al Palagonia, all the superstars that were sitting there. They are really good. They have it. It reminds me of that Detroit team that beat us my last year there [with the Lakers in 2004]. … They just got a bunch of guys that are just together. Because if you look at that Detroit team, no disrespect to all the guys, but they didn’t really have any really big-name players that you talked about all the time. Big Shot Chauncey was there, Rasheed was there, the Hall of Famer Ben Wallace was there, but they were a collective group. They just played together, and they fought hard, and they never gave up. When I look at this Knick team, it reminds me so much of that team.”
Kendrick Perkins
On the farcical Cavaliers:
“They got punked, and they got embarrassed. “If I’m Dan Gilbert, I’m looking at every single person on that roster, every single person on that coaching staff, and I’m saying everybody is on the chopping block. Every single one of them. We are not going to give Donovan Mitchell a pass. Those points was cute, but they weren’t powerful.”
