Only one more sleep. Fewer than 34 hours.
Hawks at Knicks, Game 5 at MSG.
Let’s beat ‘em birds.
Mike Brown
On Josh Hart’s defense in Game 4:
“Josh was really good on the ball. Josh is a guy with quick feet, he’s
strong and when he gets locked in, he’s locked in. His defensive activity, especially when he [pressures the ball], was fabulous [Saturday night]. Really, really good. And we needed all of it.”
On giving Hart differente defensive assignments:
“We just wanted to move Josh around. Josh, his ball pressure is good. He’s strong, he’s got pretty good feet, he’s got long arms and he locks into the ball, so he’s able to get some deflections without fouling because of his long arms. CJ is a handful, so we just gotta keep finding ways to show him different looks, which means different guys gotta guard him at different times.”
On the defensive changes applied in Game 4:
“The players in that locker room (made the change). We didn’t change anything in transition. Our rules are still the same. We just got back.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On adjusting his game to more of a playmaking role:
“I think that the difference for me today over other days — and I thought I did a good job playmaking this series — was instead of trying to lead people to a spot, I just passed it to where they were and let them make the decision. I thought that helped me a lot today, getting my teammates the ball earlier and allowing them to make a decision and then convert on those plays. So, just being aggressive and playmaking and trying to be playing quarterback at those spots when I got the ball.”
On finding joy in facilitating:
“Just to see my teammates being special and to be able to get them involved is something I truly enjoy more than hitting a shot. To see people like OG consistently making the right read on the cut, the back door, whatever the case may be against the defense and doing something special, it brings me joy and it brings me the most energy.”
On Knicks fans traveling:
“Knicks fans travel all around the world. It’s even more special — I already knew how special the Knicks fans were from last year, but to be going to Abu Dhabi in preseason and see the stadium packed with Knicks fans is crazy. So, they travel around the world. They bring us so much love and energy and just passion that you can just feel that kind of passion in the building and it helps us feel like every game we play, no matter if it’s away or in Abu Dhabi, around the world, it’s a home game.”
OG Anunoby
On Towns’ skill set:
“[KAT] is a special talent. He can do it all. And I know if I get open, he’ll find me. No matter how tight the window is, he’ll be able to find it. It’s amazing playing with a player like him.”
On Hart’s defensive impact:
“It makes it easier, because it gives me more time to rotate toward the rim and then also make a read on if the ball handler is gonna pick up his dribble or if he’s going to the rim full speed, because Josh is pressuring him. So it just makes it easier what to do. He’s doing an amazing job being physical, getting into the ball. He’s beating guys up. And that’s what he does.”
Josh Hart
On his defensive approach:
“I’ve been trying to do that every game this series, trying to be physical with those guys, take that challenge upon myself. Don’t think there was anything different today. Trying to do what I’ve been doing. I haven’t been making shots. So I’ve got to make sure I find a way to be impactful.”
On not being satisfied after Game 4:
“You never know what that can be. You can’t be satisfied with this performance. You can’t go into Game 5 thinking we had a great game, and they’re just going to lay down, ’cause they’re not. They’re going to come out with a sense of urgency, a sense of physicality that they probably haven’t shown yet. We’ve got to be ready to weather that storm and have our own physicality.”
Jalen Brunson
On the team’s mindset shift in Game 4:
“I think we refocused and understood what was going to be needed tonight. Most importantly, just not being afraid to fail is a mindset we need to have. Let’s go out there and leave it all on the table.”
On his ankle injury scare:
“I’m right here. I’m all good.”
On Knicks fans traveling:
“It’s one of the coolest things that I will always remember when I’m done playing, is how crazy these Knicks fans travel. Whether they live here now or whatever, they know how to attack an away stadium. And it’s a really cool sight to see.”
Jordan Clarkson
On returning to playing playoff basketball:
“It’s beautiful, bro. I’m just happy to be playing for something again, playing in the playoffs. This high is something you can’t buy.”
On sacrificing his scoring role in New York:
“I don’t think it was something I wanted to prove. I just wanted to impact this team, help this team get a win and continue to win. That’s it. That’s sacrificing what I’ve done for the last 12 years, and that’s scoring.”
On his defensive focus and intensity:
“It was just being aggressive, getting into the ball, picking up guys and then rebounding — turning it up on that end. Those are things that they’ve been preaching to me all year. I’ve been out of this kind of intensity basketball for the last three years. So playing myself back into game shape and this high-intensity playoff effort all through the year. Just for a time like this.”
On his years with the tanking Jazz:
“It was definitely tough. Not playing to win something and working towards a goal. My job there wasn’t to be this role that I’m in right now, either. So definitely different there. So trying to stay locked in through the year, knowing we’re not playing for nothing in the playoffs. And looking forward to that. But still continue to be a pro, work on my game, during that time.”
On the Game 5 mindset:
“We know [the Hawks] are going to try to come back and punch us in the mouth when we’re at the crib. So we got to be ready.”
Carmelo Anthony
On Towns’ Game 4 performance:
“We talk about KAT, about what we always want to see from KAT. From him today to lead the team by his passing, by his aggressiveness and then took advantage of the defense when he could. He just played a complete game.”
