There have been 80th NBA Finals to date, including the 2026 edition of the title series.
Only three times in history has a road team gotten them started by going up 2-0.
The Knicks are part of that group, and reading the golden pages of the Association about those two prior cases, it’s guaranteed they’ll end up winning the chip. Ooh-weeeee!
Mike Brown
On Mitchell Robinson’s late-game defense on Victor Wembanyama:
“Wemby is iconic. There is nobody like him. He can score from all three levels. He wants the ball. Two big possessions at the end of the game, we put Mitch on him. What I’m proud about more than anything else, Mitch defended him the right way. Wemby is iconic. If he makes a shot, he makes a shot. You’re not blocking his shot. You make him work, you lead with your chest. You show your hands and you embrace those details while trying to guard him and then box out. It started with Mitch and it ended with the other four guys boxing out. So just a heck of a job by Mitch guarding the most iconic player in the world on two possessions to possibly win the game. Phenomenal.”
On Robinson’s steadiness in those late-game moments:
“It’s just how he’s built, man. He doesn’t seem like he ever gets too high. Doesn’t seem like he ever gets too low. We play him for 30 seconds and pull him out. We play him for seven minutes and pull him out, and he’s the same all the time.”
On Robinson doing his job in crunch time:
“He just went and did his job. But that country music probably had something to do with it. I’m a huge fan of country music. So, I think when he listens to country music, he gets the chill vibes, because I know I do.”
On the feeling of the Knicks’ 13-game postseason run:
“It’s an amazing feeling,” coach Mike Brown said, “as a coach to know how mentally tough your team is no matter what the situation is in front of them.”
On the back-and-forth battle in Game 2:
“What a ballgame, a fantastic ballgame. They made a run, we made a run. They made another run, we made another run. Lots of back and forth. We could’ve folded a few times but our guys just kept fighting.”
On the Knicks’ resilience and the joy of coaching this group:
“It’s an amazing feeling as a coach to know how mentally tough your team is no matter what the situation is in front of them. To see them continue to fight and fight and fight and fight, no matter what the score is, no matter how much time is on the clock, it’s just a fantastic feeling. The NBA is tough. You don’t experience what I’m experiencing with this group a ton, and it is a freaking joy to be around.”
On adjusting his coaching approach to fit his players and situations:
“It’s supposed to be like it is. I came in with a great plan. Maybe the plan doesn’t work. Who adjusts, him or me? Me. I adjust. The adjustment’s not enough. Every once in a while, we’re not on the same page. We talk about it. I adjust again. It’s my job as a coach to fit whatever scheme we have on both sides of the floor to all of our players, and if you’re a great player, I’ve got to make a little bit more adjustments or I’ve got to give a little bit more than you do.”
On the team refusing to fold during San Antonio’s comeback attempt:
“We could have folded a few times. But our guys just kept fighting. They kept fighting. And the one thing I told them that you work on connectivity throughout the course of the year for moments like these. And no matter what run they went on, no matter what time of the game, our guys just kept uplifting one another, not just the guys on the floor but the guys on the bench. They just kept uplifting one another throughout the course of San Antonio’s runs.”
On the impact of Knicks fans taking over road arenas:
“It’s huge. During these games against good teams, especially on the road, you want to find places where you can get energy or a little boost of energy at any given time. To have the type of fans that we do that not only bring the energy in the city of New York, on the streets, at MSG, but to have them come and take over a town, take over a hotel, take over an arena and hear them chant ‘Let’s go Knicks!’ or Jalen shooting a free throw, ‘MVP!’, that gives you a boost that you know you have people here supporting you at a pretty high level.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive tools and presence:
“KAT is smart. He’s got a good feel. He’s got better feet than what you think. He’s long and he’s strong. Those combinations bode well for a guy defensively. It’s just about embracing it and staying present while understanding the small details of what your job should be.”
Jalen Brunson
On grinding out a gritty Game 2 win:
“We had to do a good job of staying composed in those situations. It’s a credit to the character that this team has. Not being able to fold in situations like that is key to winning games like this. At this stage of the season, things aren’t going to be pretty. It’s going to be ugly. It’s going to be grinded out. It’s simple as that.”
On his late-game steal:
“I saw he wasn’t looking so I just tried to go get it.”
On the Knicks’ nightly resilience:
“That’s who my teammates are, night in and night out. They come and bring it.”
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ impact in the Finals:
“Throughout this run, obviously he’s been playing great [defensively]. I think KAT playing defense, knowing that we have his back, no matter what happens when he’s on the ball or off the ball, to be able to cover for each other, even when mistakes happen, it’s all about not pointing fingers, it’s all about coming together and figuring out what we got to do better the next possession. He’s been pretty phenomenal on both sides of the ball, the things he’s been able to do throughout this entire playoffs. But obviously, here now, he’s been great. But we need more.”
On keeping a 0-0 mindset despite the 2-0 lead:
“Every single day, we try to chip away, trying to be the best team we can be. I think our mindset was 0-0, not being up 1-0. Even with what the series is now, next game, mindset has to be 0-0 again. It’s just how it has to be. You can’t be comfortable, you can’t be satisfied with anything. You’ve just got to continue to push forward.”
On preparing for the Spurs’ next level in Game 3:
“Knowing them, there’s definitely another level. We’ve got to be prepared and ready to match it, be ready to play for 48 minutes and, no matter what goes on throughout a game, just having each other’s back, regardless of what’s going on – who’s on a run, who’s not, who’s up, who’s down. Just making sure that we’re playing together for 48 minutes is really important.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On leaning on experience and execution to beat the neophyte Spurs:
“I have been on the other side where you’re a young team and you’re trying to do a lot to win the game. I think that, for us, we keep leaning on experience and we keep leaning on the word ‘execution’ and I think we did a good job when we needed to, executing, but we didn’t do as well as we wanted to. So, when we get back to New York, we’ll get back to work, we’ll get back to the gym and try to correct the mistakes we made tonight.”
On Mitchell Robinson’s final defensive stand:
“I feel like that last play was a culmination of the game, just downloading information as the game went on and Wemby throughout the game. On the last possession, I think it’s the best defense he’s played on him all day. There was no better time for him to do that. But Mitch is a hell of a defensive player and you expect him to make the best effort defensively. And it just speaks to his resiliency, too, going out here, playing with the injury and coming up with the biggest play of the game.”
On Mitchell Robinson’s uniqueness:
“He’s one of a kind. I don’t know if there’s maybe another Mitch Robinson in the league, I only think there’s only Mitchell Robinson. There’s only one of him. We’re honored and blessed to have him.”
On Brunson’s clutch reputation showing up once again in Game 2:
“For JB, you call it rough shooting nights, I see him hitting the free throw to give us the game. The last game, he hit some of the craziest shots I’ve seen to give us the game … I see Captain Clutch doing what he’s always been doing since I got here … No. 11 can’t be messed with.”
On praying to his mother before the final possession:
“I needed a stop. If you lose a parent…you just look for signs, and I’ll take any sign I could get, and I prayed to her strongly before that possession. A great player got a great shot, but it just didn’t go in. It’s great defense, but I take it as a sign my mom was there with me, so I appreciate her so much. When you go through something like that, other than losing a child, there’s nothing worse you can go through. It builds you up, and it strengthens you beyond measure. That’s why I’ve got Phillipians 4:13 on my neck. ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,’ but I was strengthened on April 13th, when I lost my mother. I’m just grateful to be in this position because I know a lot of friends of mine who are not here to see this moment. So, I’m doing this for them.”
On how the team leans on each other:
“Yeah, each other, this team leans on each other. I think that’s why we’ve gotten here. That’s why we had the success we had during the regular season, even when things weren’t going great because at the end of the day when things do get tough, and the trials and tribulations do present themselves, this team doesn’t disband. They don’t go away from each other. We lean into each other even more. We trust each other even more to get out of the rut. That’s what special teams do.”
On focusing only on winning:
“For me, I’m just happy to be finding ways to win. I’m just worried about the team result, which is winning. … This team leans on each other. I think that’s why we’ve gotten here. That’s why we had the success we had during the regular season, even when things weren’t going great because at the end of the day when things do get tough, and the trials and tribulations do present themselves, this team doesn’t disband. They don’t go away from each other. We lean into each other even more.”
On Knicks fans and the NYPD throughout this postseason run:
“It shows the love our fans have for us, and the passion that they have. I gotta give a shout, too, to the NYPD. All the men and women out there that are not only protecting people, but on the flipside as well. In my personal experience, who are huge fans of the Knicks and support the Knicks fans in their ability to show how much they love the Knicks and being as lenient as possible without causing chaos.”
Mikal Bridges
On maintaining a desperate 0-0 mindset heading into Games 3 and 4 at MSG:
“We’re going to fight until the end. [It’s] 0-0. Stay desperate at all times.”
On why he levels up in the postseason’s biggest stages:
“That desperation of trying to be the last team standing, I’m trying to do whatever it takes to help my team to win. Just trying to give it all I got.”
On handling a 2-0 series lead with experience after reaching the same point in 2021:
“Same situation, 2-0, just got to keep level-headed and keep playing desperate. Being here before, knowing how it was gonna be and how much effort you need to give at every single moment.”
On the team’s mental toughness and resilience in the Game 2 win:
“I think the mental — I think that’s what I feel, when we’re resilient, how mentally tough we are. Being up in the fourth by a good amount, and then they made a run and take the lead, and staying resilient, that’s all about the mental focus. We can all get caught up in the crowd and them making that run because they are a really good team, but we just weather the storm, stay together and found a way to win at the end.”
On the Knicks’ defense leading them to a Game 2 win:
“I think it started just defensively getting stops. I think that’s the biggest thing, us getting stops and getting out.”
On Towns’ standing up to physical playoff defense:
“He’s shown me personally — and obviously the team — but he’s shown me personally last year leading up to the playoffs, that first round against Detroit, I think a lot of their goals was trying to punk him. He didn’t let down. He showed that he can do it on both ends at all times. It’s just go time. It’s winning time. It’s that season. I’m trying to go out there and give it all I’ve got for this team, my teammates, the coaches, for the organization, fans.”
Josh Hart
On what the 2-0 lead really means:
“It’s 0-0 at this point, as far as we’re concerned. Being up 2-0 means, really, nothing. This team’s going to come out on, what, Monday with an unbelievable amount of energy and desperation and we’ve got to be better.”
On the Spurs’ physicality in Game 2:
“Obviously, for me, too much physicality.”
On his initial reaction to Game 2:
“That was a crazy game… it was an all-around team effort… we gotta be better in terms of execution, we’ll watch film and learn from that.”
Miles McBride
On what to expect from Madison Square Garden in Game 3:
“Hectic. I’m sure it’s going crazy right now. We heard New York here, down in San Antonio, so … I don’t even know what I’m expecting, honestly. It’s going to be great. I’m excited.”
On the Knicks’ defense being rooted in a team-wide effort:
“Everyone’s capable of playing at a high level defensively because it’s nothing but effort. For him to really lock-in and not just take on the challenge guarding Wemby but being up in the pick and roll, being able to go get rebounds, being able to guard in transition, those things are big.”
Mitchell Robinson
On his mindset ahead of the final play of the game and guarding Wembanyama at it:
“I knew we needed stops and I had picked up a few fouls on him. I think, what, three, like early on? So in my mind, I was just like, ‘Defend without fouling.’ So that was kind of like how it went. Just great contest, and just kind of how it went.”
On the feeling of the moment after the final miss:
“It was crazy. Just crazy.”
On reaching the Finals after eight years with the franchise:
“It was crazy. Been here for eight years, now here we are in the Finals. I can truly say I done seen it all. It’s wild.”
On his musical advice for his teammates:
“I love my country music. That’s all I listen to. Dealing with these guys, they don’t listen to it. So that’s why, you know, I got my headphones now. Maybe if they listened to it, they’ll understand, but they’re silly.”
On dealing with Hack-a-Mitch:
“It seems like they just want me off the court. So in my eyes, I feel like I’m a threat.”
OG Anunoby
On being part of a 13-game playoff win streak:
“It’s special. We have a great team, we’re very connected.”
Landry Shamet
On earning a tough Game 2 win:
“They make you work. They make you earn everything. We weathered their storm. We found a way.”
On the 13-game playoff win streak:
“We got Game 3 in Madison Square Garden, that’s what we’re worried about. All those other games are in the past.”
On staying even-keeled after giving up the lead late in Game 2:
“It’s a resilient group. Can’t react too high or low, especially on the road.”
On what to expect from Knicks fans at MSG:
“All bets are off. I don’t know. I keep telling myself I’m going to stop being surprised by Knicks fans and what they do and how they show up, so I’m sure it’ll be an unbelievable atmosphere.”
Jose Alvarado
On what Towns is bringing defensively:
“We’re gonna need him to do what he’s doing to win games. He’s doing an amazing job. He’s being a leader and stepping up and doing what we need him to do defensively.”
Mitch Johnson
On Wembanyama’s unacceptable shot volume in the first half of Game 2:
“We’ve had that discussion before and I understand the discourse around it. It’s a little bit of both, but I have to make sure that there’s environments that the ball finds him. I think he’s got to make sure that he can’t rely on that to get shots as well and there are times when I think when he was open on rolls and around the paint and his teammates have got to give him the ball. So I think it’s a combination of all that. But yeah, four shots in a half on this stage is not acceptable.”
On the Spurs’ confidence heading into Game 3:
“We don’t feel like we’ve played well or up to our standard, at least, in the last two games. New York’s played very well and they’re a part of that. We’re gonna go into Game 3 and if we play our brand of basketball, up to our standard, we’ll be just fine.”
On the need for making life tougher for Towns:
“I think he’s played two good games, we’ve still got to make it tougher on him. We’ve had some coverage breakdowns and just keep trying to make great players work for everything they get.”
Victor Wembanyama
On his Game 2 performance:
“I’m still very blurry, and that’s the whole problem. I need to have more poise, more control over the game. I’m not going to go through the whole possessions, but that’s the general image.”
On missing the potential game-winner:
“I liked the shot. I feel like in this moment, you need to shoot to score. In moments like this, it’s like results matter more than process.”
On gifting the Knicks Game 2 with a careless turnover:
“I threw that one away. I messed up. We didn’t play great as a team. We needed to win that game. This game was ours. But at this point, it’s done. Am I going to regret it? Yes, of course. Am I going to use that to fuel me and to fuel us next game? Absolutely.”
On still feeling high from the WCF win over the Thunder:
“Personally, I think I could’ve been better in recovering from the high of the conference finals, but here we are. We can’t change the past now. We’re already focused on Game 3.”
On facing Karl-Anthony Towns:
“What I think of it? It’s very different from previous series. It’s bringing us into difficult areas because they’re good players. He’s a good player. Yeah, I mean, we just need to figure it out, we need to keep working at it… We can do a little bit better; we can do better defensively.”
On his emotions after Game 2:
“Lots of emotions of every type. I mean, not every type, only the negative type.”
On the Spurs’ tendency to dig them into early holes:
“I think we need to put ourselves in better conditions. We’re digging ourselves a hole, that’s been a theme so far.”
Stephon Castle
On the late Wembanyama turnover:
“I was looking at him when he first got the rebound. I just started to take off to try to give him some space to dribble up the court. I didn’t see him throw it to me.”
On the difference between guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Brunson:
“They’re very similar in ways. I think Shai is more of a threat to get all the way downhill, all the way to the basket. I think Jalen likes to use angles a lot more, uses probably a little bit more pump fakes than Shai. Mostly it’s angles, trying to get to his spots, not really trying to draw fouls as much, but trying to get to his mid-range and get to spots to where he likes.”
On switching and trusting teammates defensively:
“Obviously, yes, I want to stay on the ball, guard my matchup. At the end of the day, I have nothing but confidence with my teammates on that side of the floor. I don’t want to try and make up things on the spot. We’ve switched that ball screen with me on the ball all year. It’s been successful for us.”
De’Aaron Fox
On shadily fouling Jalen Brunson on a play-to-play basis:
“We’re just trying to make it difficult on him. I think we’ve done a good job in both games. He’s made big shots at the end of games. He’s a hell of a player.”
On Victor Wembanyama’s second-half adjustment:
“We came in and we’re like, ‘we need you to be aggressive.’ That is what it is. He came out in the second half and obviously, he was much better for us.”
On Wembanyama’s final shot:
“He makes that shot nine times out of ten, so I think we had a great possession.”
On guarding Karl-Anthony Towns:
“Obviously, having somebody like KAT is a difficult cover. That’s what everybody tries to do, is to pull Vic away from the basket.”
Julian Champagnie
On his trash talk with Jose Alvarado:
“Yeah, I think it’s just friendly banter, honestly and truly. Obviously, I’ve known Jose for a while. Yeah, he makes one, he talks. I make one, I talk. That’s just how New York is. That’s how it goes.”
On how New York playground basketball shaped him:
“Figuring out how you can play on those courts, definitely I feel like it translates into playing on the NBA court. Obviously the talent is different and stuff like that. But you take little tidbits, the trash talk, the physicality, perseverance and how to get through and actually win a game. You take those things with you throughout your whole career.”
Charles Barkley
On Karl-Anthony Towns’ Finals performance:
“The MVP of the Finals is gonna be Karl-Anthony Towns. That man earned his flowers.”
On Towns answering critics and haters:
“He’s been criticized in Minnesota. He’s been criticized in New York. The MVP of the Finals is going to be Karl-Anthony Towns. He has played two of the best games I’ve ever seen a big man play. He was great in Game 1. He was great in Game 2. That man earned his flowers.”
On Victor Wembanyama’s Game 2 performance:
“Wemby’s in shock right now. It’s probably been a long time since he got his ass kicked like this. But right now, big KAT is taking his ass to the woodshed.”
Shaquille O’Neal
On Towns’ all-around play in the series:
“He’s playing with pace. He’s playing smart. He’s playing inside. He’s outside. He’s controlling the offense with the pass sometimes. And listen, he is just playing unbelievable basketball right now. And I agree with you. If it ended today, he would definitely be the Most Valuable Player.”
