It’s get-right week for the Knicks as they’ll enjoy three G League-level matchups against the Nets, the Hornets, and the Bucks sandwiching Thanksgiving!
New York crosses the bridge to visit Brooklyn today, followed by a trip to Charlotte on Wednesday and a return to MSG to feast on the Deer.
Here’s the latest from a few Knickerbockers.
Mike Brown
On Diawara’s readiness:
“For a young guy, he’s got a good feel. On both ends of the floor. He’s long. He’s a pretty good athlete. And there are a lot of things that he does well, not necessarily great. But just pretty good all-around basketball player. And after he gets some time under his belt, and he turns that feel into live game action, the sky’s the limit how good he could be.”
On developing Diawara:
“I just got to find ways to get him on the floor. And if I can’t do it here, I got to get him down to the G-League so he can play. A guy like Mo just needs to play.”
On team defense despite injuries:
“I’m confident we can be where we need to defensively. We played well in some instances and we haven’t played well. That’s what you go through especially during this part of the year. So I do think we can be a really good defensive team, but again, no matter who we throw out there, we’ve gotta have a feel and understanding of what we’re trying to do on that end of the floor to get things done.”
On defensive effort improving:
“We keep working on it. We keep addressing it. Again, we’re gonna be fine at the end of the day ’cause our guys want it. … I said this before, we’re gonna go through this over the course of the year, we’re gonna do this [gestures up] and then we’re gonna do this [gestures down] and hopefully we don’t do this [gestures down] too long.”
Mohamed Diawara
On being ready for his opportunity:
“I’m a rookie, so I feel like I’m just waiting on my chance and waiting on my turn. I’m not rushing anything. I’m just waiting and trusting what the coach is doing. That’s it. I’m just waiting for my time.”
On where he’s focusing his development:
“I feel like right now I’m working more on my three-point shot. I want to be way more consistent. It’s not more so about the amount of shots, but the quality of my arm, the arc and all that.”
On staying patient and learning:
“I’m trying to improve my game every day. I’ve got some good guys here trying to help me with what to do here. I’m a rookie, you know? This is my first year here. So I’m just trying to get the most experience and learn from everybody.”
Mikal Bridges
On Diawara’s early flashes:
“Just coming out there making an impact on defense. The shots will fall. It’ll come. I think he’s sped up a little bit. But he’s a young guy, a rookie that’s coming to play on a pretty good team, so it’s gonna take time with that, but I think he’s been doing good.”
On the team’s defensive breakdowns:
“[Defending] on ball, we got to be better. But also there was no secondary help, no second effort. That’s the biggest thing. There are going to be blow-bys. There’s going to be stuff that happens, miscommunications. But we weren’t connected. We weren’t on our toes and ready to make a play. I think we were on our heels a little bit and reacting late, which I think is unacceptable.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On Diawara’s early impact:
“He’s done a great job coming in and trying to impact winning. So shoutout to Mo. It’s tough when you’re first time in the NBA, and you’re a rookie, and you’re a rookie on the New York Knicks, obviously. So it’s tough. A lot of pressure, and I think he’s done a great job of going in there and trying to do his best to help us win.”
On the defensive absence of key teammates:
“OG is one of the best defenders in the NBA. So obviously it’s going to be an obvious answer. He’s highly valuable to any team. Missing him is big. And Deuce not being available. And Landry getting hurt obviously hurts our team.”
