No matter your prediction, it’s always the same story…
Knicks in Six.
Here’s the latest from MSG.
Mike Brown
On Brunson’s screen-setting ability:
“The thing about him, he’s a great screen setter. He has a really good change of pace where he slips and
stuff like that which can cause confusion.”
On Anunoby and Towns on the glass:
“KAT and OG were monsters. The two of them, they were phenomenal – it was huge for us to be able to keep them off the glass and out of transition.”
On moving Brunson offensively:
“We’re just trying to move him around as much as we can so they can’t catch a rhythm with him. We want him to be aggressive and the biggest thing for us is to keep trying to find ways to move him around, because he’s impactful whenever he’s in the action.”
On sticking with his starters:
“Those guys have won a lot of games.”
On Towns’ impact of late:
“It’s been pretty good, you know. You gotta give KAT a lot of credit, he’s trying to rebound, trying to be up in the pick-and-roll. When he switches onto a small, he’s trying to sit down. He just has to keep pushing himself, including transition, like all of us. So we can be impactful and/or effective on that end of the floor.”
On the Game 5 win:
“We played a good game. I’m sure Atlanta feels they can play better. We know they can play better.”
On Brunson’s fourth quarter:
“Phenomenal, especially in that fourth quarter. He does it all for us.”
On the Knicks’ paint game:
“I love it. Our guys have to continue trying to take what’s available. And right now for us, it’s finishing in the paint.”
On the team’s resilience after going down 2-1:
“They’re resilient. We talked about it throughout the course of the year, you gotta go through some adversity throughout the course of the year to see what you’re made of as a group, see how you’re gonna respond. You just gotta keep fighting. Our guys have been through a lot so far this year and they continue to go through it. They’ve been through it as a group. There is nothing that will deter the group. They’re a veteran group that knows what they want and how to get it no matter what’s in front of them.”
On Brunson’s composure:
“Comes from his mom, his mom has got a lot of patience. Real sharp lady, hear that Rick?”
Jalen Brunson
On the Game 5 mentality:
“It was just important for us to come out the way we did, regardless of who was doing the scoring or whatever. I think just us being on a string on both sides of the ball helped us. We were locked in mentally, the way we were playing. There’s still lot of things we can do better and not have lapses. I think our mentality locking into the game is something that we need to continue to have.
“I think it’s just constant adjustments and a constant chess game. You see what move they make and you come back with a different move.”
On the Knicks’ first-round bounceback:
“It’s been a multitude of things. I think we have picked it up as a unit. I also think they’ve gotten a lot of looks and we were lucky when they were missing. But just us being on the same page on both sides of the ball has been a factor.”
On his fourth-quarter play:
“The ball went in, but I was just happy that we were able to keep the lead and play well with it. They are a team that is capable of going on runs, as we know from earlier in the series, so I like how we played to keep the lead.”
On McBride’s impact in the first-round series:
“He’s been playing great. To be able to use him in certain actions and play off-ball and obviously his shooting capability, the way he plays defense and everything, he does a lot for our team. So, I think regardless of who’s on the floor, he’s gonna do a lot of great things.”
On the Madison Square Garden faithful:
“It’s really cool seeing them, the support they give us and everything, seeing them before and after the games. It’s always cool seeing former players come back and seeing how energetic they can get is cool. There’s no place like this place.”
On team unity:
“We’re tied together all on a string. Whenever something falls apart, we’re there for each other.”
On using Towns as an offensive hub:
“It’s another dimension that we’ve been able to do. KAT’s been making great decisions. I think us, playing off-ball, the screens that we’re setting, the pace that we’re cutting, has helped him with that. And also KAT has the ability to go by his defender. There’s a lot of things we can do off of that.”
Miles McBride
On easing Brunson’s burden:
“Try to make his job as easy as possible, as well the rest of the teammates out there. Anytime I’m on the floor, I try to make everybody’s lives easier, whether that’s on the defensive or offensive end. Just bringing whatever I have, whatever my talents are, whatever I see in the game, and do it.”
On sharing the backcourt with Brunson:
“We’ve done it before and previous seasons, in the playoffs past. It’s just whatever I see in the game, try to get in it and if it’s working, keep going back to it.”
On Brunson’s footwork:
“It’s elite. Those Villanova pivots, step-throughs. It’s been elite since he’s been in college. I was watching him. It’s something that smaller guards [have to do]. He’s just worked at it, worked at it. He plays with such high confidence and he performs at such a high level, it just gets better and better.”
On the Knicks’ improved defense:
“I think we’re really just communicating and being physical at a high level. I feel like everybody’s locked in. Defense isn’t one guy’s job, it’s the whole team, so when the whole team’s locked in, when guys coming off the bench, we’re locked in and we’re not missing a beat, it just feels good.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On the need to keep closing games:
“The hardest game to win is the one that can end a team’s season.”
On his playmaker role:
“I feel like passing’s been my thing since I came into the league. Sometimes the scoring gets more noticed than the passing. But I’m glad I have the opportunity to show what I can do, passing-wise. I’ve just got to continue to stay disciplined, continue to make the right play, regardless if it’s the scoring play or the hockey assist.”
On impacting winning first and foremost:
“I’m always just thinking about impacting winning. As long as I can do that every single day I step on the court, I just think about that. How can I help my teammates be the best version of themselves with my game, and do whatever it takes to help our team be in a position to win. As long as I do that every single night, I’m happy with the man I see in the mirror.”
On Brunson’s level:
“He’s been one of the best point guards and players in the NBA, so I don’t know if I was the reason for that. When I watch the tape, and hopefully I can come back [Wednesday] when we watch the film and say I helped him be who he’s always been.”
On OG Anunoby:
“He’s one of the best two-way players in the NBA. This series has been great for him to show the world on a big stage something that we always thought he was. When you have someone like that who is that good offensively and even better defensively, weirdly enough, it’s special. I believe he’s going to be First Team All-Defense, and he deserves it.”
“I think it just gives us life. Gives energy to the basketball.”
On the Game 6 mindset:
“Confidence is built with work. For us, we understand what the situation is, toughest game to win is the one that ends a team’s season.”
On Gatorade:
“I’m not even gonna touch the Gatorade. I lied, I lied… I’m thirsty, bro.”
Jose Alvarado
On defense fueling offense in Games 4 and 5:
“We get stops and we get rolling. Once we get our defense rolling, the offense is going to take care of itself. We know we can score the ball at a very high level. We need to get stops. And that’s what we try to do.”
On the MSG chants:
“It’s amazing. Can’t really put it into words. I’ve always got a Knicks jersey on and I always think about that, like this is crazy. But it’s a good feeling. Excited to be in the city that I’m from to compete for a championship.”
On staying ready and delivering in the last two games:
“It’s just part of the business: stay ready. Whatever the team needs. We’re a really good team. They communicated with how it was gonna go. Just stay ready, that’s what I did mentally.
“My teammates found me. I was open and then I made the shots today.”
On the Knicks’ bench:
“We know how good the bench is and how good the team is. We go out there and be ourselves and try to boost the energy. Whatever the team needs, the bench tries to provide that.”
On the nature of the playoffs:
“It’s the playoffs. Every little detail counts. We have to stay focused and keep the main thing the main thing.”
On Brunson’s footwork:
“That boy can probably dance, right? I don’t know. He got twinkle toes. You think you stopped him, and he creates another move, I guess.”
Jordan Clarkson
On OG Anunoby:
“He’s just a force. Defensively, offensively. He’s got a lot more in his bag than I thought, being on the outside. But now, being his teammate, being able to watch him play, I know he does a lot of things offensively that I didn’t notice being on the opposite side. Him rebounding, him being a force defensively, him knocking down timely shots. He’s a special player.”
On leaving and reentering Mike Brown’s rotation:
“[Being out of the rotation is] definitely challenging, but I’ve been in the league for 12 years. I know how it goes. Just continue to stay ready. There’s a locker room of young guys and other people, watching me and seeing how I react to those things. Set an example for that. Continue to stay locked in with my team and organization. Just waiting for my opportunity to go out there and play. Everybody setting that example and having everybody ready is big for the team.”
On the Knicks’ toughness:
“We’re all tough-minded. We love challenges. We continue to hold each other up. This team has been resilient all year. It’s not going to be smooth. Continue to lean on each and continue to fight one through 15.”
Jalen Johnson
On the Game 5 loss:
“I think they just punked us. We just didn’t match their intensity from the jump. Guys like [Josh] Hart, we need to match their energy.”
