There are whispers out there…
…they say it’s virtually the same to go 3-0 and clinch a Finals berth.
Sit tight and rest. Mad times are coming.
Mike Brown
On getting back to Karl-Anthony Towns as the offensive hub in Game 3:
“KAT, he was our hub offensively: seven assists, zero turnovers. He was really good
for us offensively and defensively with three steals, but his ability to fire back in the pick-and-roll situation was really good.”
On Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby imposing their will:
“I told (Bridges) and OG, because I don’t call a ton of play-calls, you guys got to find different ways to impose your will on the game. They’re both doing a phenomenal job of imposing their will on the game.”
On OG Anunoby’s performance:
“OG was fantastic. He had some timely buckets for us, play after play after play.”
On Mikal Bridges’ defensive feel:
“What makes him special on that end of the floor is that he’s a big long guard so he doesn’t have to always get all the way up in you to defend. He’s got a great feel, extremely smart. Mikal got to his spots all night. He hit big shot after big shot and on top of that, he had six rebounds and then trying to defend James, a Hall of Famer, without fouling him. Just a really good ballgame from Mikal.”
On what changed with Mikal Bridges:
“Just his aggression. But I also have to help him by putting him in position to be able to make plays, to make plays for himself, make plays for his teammates, but he just started to impose his will on the game a little bit more while I also tried to make sure I called his number every once in a while, make sure he stays in the flow, because he has a tough assignment every day defensively. He gets out and runs, he slips pick-and-rolls and re-spaces. And so I have to make sure that I continue to involve him offensively to let him know that, hey, we know you can do this for us, so go do it.”
On Landry Shamet’s impact in Game 3:
“Landry was huge. And then on the other end of the floor, he’s gotta match up with a guy like Donovan Mitchell, who is a tough cover for anybody. You’re not gonna stop him but you gotta work your tail off. Landry’s trying to work.”
On the team staying locked in amid the season-long adjustments he brought to New York:
“You know what? They’ve been fantastic trying to pay attention to all the details that we’ve been throwing at them. And we’ve thrown a lot of adjustments offensively and defensively at them throughout the course of these playoffs. And to still see them locked in and try to be focused on the details at hand, again, that just speaks volumes of my coaching staff and the way that they’re presenting and changing and all that stuff. But more so about these players and their want to go try to get a ring.”
On whether or not the Knicks have had an easy path through the Eastern Conference bracket:
“No. Not at all. This is hard. We’re playing good teams.”
On the value of having a deep bench during the season:
“They both always used to say, ‘it’s not about now, it’s about the postseason.’”
On Dolan and Rose deserving their flowers:
“Mr. Dolan and Leon Rose, they’re just as big a part of this thing as I am or Jalen is or anybody else is, for sure.”
Jalen Brunson
On not looking ahead with a 3-0 lead:
“You don’t look ahead. You deal with what’s in front of you.”
On Knicks fans invading Cleveland:
“Knicks fans travel. They’re going to be heard no matter what building we’re in.”
On staying focused despite fan excitement:
“I mean, they’re probably excited. Rightfully so, but we have a job to do and we have things that we need to focus on. That’s on them being them, but we have to be locked in to do what we do.”
On the team chemistry during the playoff run:
“We genuinely like playing together. We created a chemistry that’s been great. It’s been a lot of fun.”
On OG Anunoby’s Game 3 performance:
“OG’s playing great. Most importantly, he’s locked-in and he’s doing the things that we know that he’s capable of.”
On the Knicks’ work ethic:
“We have a bunch of individuals in that locker room who work really hard, and they’re very psychotic about their work and the things they do, and that they’re ready physically and mentally.”
On Landry Shamet’s role within the Knicks:
“Big time…True professional…Whatever is asked of him, he shows up, and he does it.”
On the Knicks’ ability to adjust to different game plans:
“I think it’s an advantage for us, learning how to play differently. There are going to be times where one game plan is going to be different than the next. Being able to learn on the fly and adjust on the fly is something that we need to continue to get better at, but I think we’ve been doing a great job with it.”
On the canceled watch party outside MSG:
“That’s a tough one… I’ll come back to you on that one.”
Josh Hart
On setting the tone early in Game 3:
“We just came out with energy. We knew we had to with it being their first home game with their backs against the wall, their fans were going to be making noise and cheering and supporting them from the start. So we came out aggressive and set the tone, and we just continued to play with that pace throughout the night.”
On Landry Shamet’s Game 3 performance:
“Big shots, amazing defense… he’s a heck of a player.”
On maintaining the right mindset heading into Game 4 with a 3-0 lead:
“We set a tone from the jump. And we never let up. We knew we needed to. We went 1-0 today. Monday, it’ll be 0-0 all over again.”
On expectations around Mikal Bridges:
“The expectations don’t matter. That’s for y’all to talk about. That’s something that, I mean, nothing he can do about it. He didn’t call Leon [Rose] and say, ‘Yo, this is the trade package,’ you know what I mean? He got put into this situation and he hit the ground running. We wouldn’t be here without him. Last year, you can look — how many games has he won for us in terms of getting stops down the stretch, steals, blocks, big shots. He’s won games in every single way for us, and that’s why we want him, that’s why he’s here. The expectations and all that is just background noise.”
On Bridges’ winning mindset:
“He’s all about winning. Everything else doesn’t matter for him. I think that’s why he’s playing well right now. Because he’s not focused on shots, touches, those kinds of things. He’s focused on how can I help this team win? I’m not surprised. Because that’s the player he is. I’ve seen him since he was 17. That’s the kind of person that he is.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On staying together during the win streak:
“We won all these games in a row as a team. We’ve had this winning streak as a team. We’ve found these ways to get these great wins, even down 22 in Game 1, we came back as a team. As long as we stay together, we stay unified, we feel, we always have felt, the sky is the limit for us.”
On maintaining desperation despite a 3-0 lead:
“It’s the mindset on this team that the next game, we are 0-0. We have to come out with the same desperation as Game 1. Come with that energy and intensity and passion. And on top of that, lean on each other. That’s what got us here. We won all these games in a row as a team. We’ve had this winning streak as a team. We found ways to get these great wins as a team. Down [22] in the first game, we came back as a team. As long as we stay together and stay unified, we feel — we always have felt — the sky’s the limit for us.”
On keeping a 0-0 mentality in the series:
“You have to keep your mind on the task at hand. The game is over and we found a way to win, but you have to have the same desperation like it’s a 0-0 series, just Game 1.”
On adjusting within Game 3:
“We do a great job of adjusting as the game goes along. I have to always be able to adapt to what the game needs from me to win the game. In the first half, it needed me to be a scorer, very aggressive, get to the basket, shoot the ball well and get points. Second half, they adjusted and we adjusted and I had to adjust. The adjustment was more being the hub, making the right passes, getting my teammates involved. … I continue to just feel out the game. The game will tell me what to do.”
On adjusting to Mike Brown this season:
“He’s had to learn us and had to adjust to us and then, on the flip side, we’ve had to do the same as well. I think now we’re at a point where we’re both working seamlessly. We understand each other’s language. And he’s getting the best from us as well as I think we are getting the best from him. And that speaks to a season. Especially a first season with a new coach and a new system and a new philosophy. …Obviously, the players are doing an amazing job. Coming together, showing the unity that was made special last year, with the coaching staff being receptive to the players. Adjusting to us and finding ways to get the most out of us.”
On the team’s offensive flexibility:
“That’s the blessing of our group. We have multiple ways and systems that we can utilize to help us get the win. I’ve been happy because we’ve continued to win.”
On sacrificing to impact winning:
“I’ve always said I’m willing to sacrifice and do whatever it takes to impact winning and help this team win. That’s the blessing of our group. We have multiple ways and systems that we can utilize to help us get the win. I’ve been happy because we’ve continued to win. There’s nothing to be sad about.”
On confidence in Mikal Bridges:
“We never worried about Mikal. We know what he can do. There was never a worry in our locker room about Mikal or anything like that. We know when we need Mikal, he’ll show up just like he did last year in Boston for two big steals. He does a lot of things that don’t end up on the stat sheet that he doesn’t get credit for. Right now, the stat sheet is giving him credit for it, but we always know the impact that he has on our team.”
On OG Anunoby’s All-Defense recognition:
“He’s one of the best defenders in the world and he got robbed of (first-team All Defense)!”
OG Anunoby
On the Knicks’ mindset heading into Game 4:
“Just come out with desperation like it’s still 0-0”
On his health improving throughout the series:
“Each day I started feeling better and better. We have a great medical staff. Getting stronger each day. Great team, great coaches. It’s been very collaborative.”
Mikal Bridges
On limiting Harden’s impact in the ECF:
“Just a team. Team defense. Team effort. Our scouting, our coaches, and everybody being on a string. I think it’s just a habit of guarding him for eight-plus years now. So just learning and grow each time you guard him. So just learning … It’s a lot of reps. A lot of time. And I’m grateful he was in the West when I was in the West, so I got to line up against him a lot of times.”
On pushing through early playoff struggles:
“It was tough because you want to be great at whatever you want to do. A lot of toughness comes from the mental part. I think I’ve been raised the right way, been coached by a lot of the great coaches who talk a lot about mental toughness. And sometimes you got to thrive in it even if you’re struggling. The more you thrive, the better it’s going to be for you.”
On bringing a Villanova mentality to the Knicks:
“I just think taking possession by possession and having that 0-0 mentality and playing desperate. I think that’s kind of what we brought from Villanova.”
On his teammates keeping him confident:
“I’m so close with a lot of guys on this team. Just them just being there and knowing that I want to play better and especially to help the team win. They want that too.”
Miles McBride
On adapting within a playoff series:
“I think you have to just take it game by game. [Teams] are going to make adjustments, and you have to have to stay solid to who you are as a team and a foundation. But when your opponent makes an adjustment, you have to adjust and adapt and figure it out. So I feel like that’s why we get paid what we get paid. So we have to adapt in the moment.”
Landry Shamet
On his next-play mentality:
“The ball goes in, I’m thinking about guarding an All-Star on the other end, my assignment defensively, or what we’re doing defensively.”
On the challenge of closing out the Cavs in Game 4:
“We won tonight, and we got one more tomorrow to put a team away. We know they’re going to give us their best punch. This is the hardest game of the year. Sending a team home is the hardest thing to do, especially at this point – there’s no time to sit and celebrate, it’s onto the next one, and how do we go get a win?”
On Mikal Bridges’ versatility:
“In a way, it’s a blessing (that he’s played in different teams with different roles). You’ve been asked to do so many different things in your career. Some nights, Mikal only gets five shots up, but he’s got to guard the best player, run around and keep him under 13 points or something. Each night is something different.”
On the Knicks’ locker room vibes:
“That’s our group, 1 through 15, everybody wants to see each other do well, genuinely. It’s not some locker room banter bullshit, it’s very real with this group. We cheer each other on. It’s a beautiful thing. And that’s what we have.”
Mitchell Robinson
On his mental health amid the playoffs:
“I’m deleting all apps for a little while until I can get back to myself. I had a very upsetting experience a few days ago. I’m not gonna go into detail about it, just gonna focus on the playoffs and myself. I know some of you have called and texted and it popped up green. That’s because I got a new [phone] number. My mental health is not the best right now but I am fighting to get back on track while playing on the biggest stage in the world in the Eastern Conference finals.”
Kenny Atkinson
On his message after falling behind 3-0:
“Get one. Get one, and then we’ll go from there.”
On the Cavaliers’ mental state:
“After Game 2, we were in a good place. This is a tough one. No one is hanging their heads…you never know what can happen.”
On possible rotation changes for Game 4:
“Do we extend our rotation? That’s something we could do. Gotta look at it…”
On the Knicks’ being rested while the Cavs are not:
“Listen, there’s no big mystery. Our guys have played 50 percent more minutes than them. If I’m the opposing coach, I’m like, ‘Man, get these guys, run these guys, wear them out, be super physical.’ It’s a good strategy. But we were not sharp in transition. We weren’t sprinting back like we should tonight.”
On leading the Knicks in “expected” shooting:
“I think we won the expected (shooting percentage) all three games. But, you know, there is expected and there’s real.”
On the Knicks’ physicality in Game 3:
“Their physicality was much higher than ours…credit to them. They were into the ball, very handsy, the whole grab-and-hold thing, which is part of it… We struggled to play through that physicality tonight.”
On the Knicks’ momentum in the series:
“They’re playing great basketball. We haven’t been able to stop their momentum. We had one chance in that first game to stop it, but we haven’t been able to halt their momentum.”
On being outplayed in Game 3:
“They were the much better team. They’re on a hell of a run.”
James Harden
On remaining confident down 3-0:
“We’re still confident. Our confidence is never going away. We’re more than capable… Make some shots, and the series turns around.”
On the Knicks dictating pace through the series:
“They played a little bit faster. We never could really get a grip on the game. We had times where we played well both ends of the ball, but just more times than not, they just played a little bit faster, and they made some shots.”
On the balance between offense and defense:
“When you’re not making shots, you put more pressure on your defense. So you’re going to be on defense much more. Then you got to take the basketball out of the rim… Basketball is obviously both sides of the ball. But if we can make some shots, it gives our defense a chance to get back in and set up half-court. So, it’s a balance of both of those things, but they’re a great offensive team. They got a stretch big and they obviously [got Jalen] Brunson handling the ball, so they’re a difficult matchup, but it just makes it more difficult when you’re not making shots. Then you got to keep relying on your defense, which they are good team, so they’re going to score.”
Evan Mobley
On the Cavaliers’ approach down 3-0:
“Get the next one, that’s all we can do—backs against the wall.”
On fatigue in the Eastern Conference Finals:
“There’s definitely a toll there, but we’re in the Eastern Conference Finals, so there’s no excuses right now. There’s no excuse there.”
Donovan Mitchell
On what it will take to win just one game:
“Let’s start with making some shots, getting some stops, and making some free throws.”
On fatigue being self-inflicted:
“We did it to ourselves.”
On not feeling overmatched by the Knicks:
“I don’t feel like we are overmatched. I hate to harp on it, but we were up 22 (in the fourth quarter of Game 1). So it’s on us. It’s on everyone in that locker room. We know that, we feel that, and we have an opportunity to get Game 4 and go from there.”
On the Game 1 loss impacting the whole outcome of the series:
“Don’t lose Game 1 after being up 22. Changes the entire dynamic of the series. We’re not sitting there and reflecting on that (yet). But if I were to say one thing, it would be that. But hey, it happened, and now we have to find a way to get back from 3-0.”
On hearing Knicks chants in Cleveland:
“I mean, I’m from New York. This doesn’t shock me. They do it in every arena. It’s like Cowboys fans, just who they are. I don’t think it’s a Cleveland thing. Wasn’t just us. You look at Philly… It’s what Knicks fans are. I was one back in the day. So, that had nothing to do with what we got going. Cleveland’s best fans in the world. I stand on that. So, that doesn’t affect that. That doesn’t label who Cleveland is. I have nothing but love for the fans in Cleveland, and we didn’t get it done for our home crowd tonight. And we didn’t get it done, which enables the Knick fans to go off like they did. If we get it done, then they’re silent, right? So, we didn’t do our part. When we ran out, they were loud, and Cleveland fans were behind us, but we didn’t do our part, and that’s the result.”
Jarrett Allen
On Knicks fans traveling to Cleveland:
“We just have to realize that they’re gonna come—they’re gonna come deep.”
On the Cavs’ defense suffering when shots don’t fall:
“When you don’t hit shots, your defense suffers. That’s just how a player’s mentality is. We can’t let that happen, though. We have to understand that we’re going to hit shots, eventually.”
NYPD
On canceling watch parties outside MSG:
“We have seen progressively more problematic issues at the watch parties outside MSG — there were six arrests [Thursday] night alone. The NYPD will not support more watch parties outside the stadium, but we will continue to review requests to support parties at alternate sites like Summer Stage.”
On crowd behavior and safety concerns:
“The crowds are very rough, with people jumping police barriers and throwing things into the crowd, including glass bottles. The crowds blocked vehicle traffic on 34th and 33rd Streets and 7th Avenue. Additionally, people climbed on top of subway entrances and there was drinking in the street. This is not about having enough of the unruly fans — this is about keeping people safe.”
