You can feel it in the air.
It’s the rest-and-wait scent.
Here’s the latest from across Knicks nation.
Mike Brown
On closing out series with composure and preparation:
“Closeout games are the hardest games to play, because of the level of desperation from the other team, especially when you’re on the road and you factor in your opponent’s home crowd — so, I give our guys a lot of credit. I give my staff a ton of credit. My staff has been unbelievable from top to bottom. They’ve been really, really, really good in our preparation and making sure guys understand what we need to do so that they can stay focused on the details at hand.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On the team’s mentality entering the Eastern Conference Finals:
“I think it’s really great to see our team in this mindset. The feeling that we’ve got a lot more work to do. To see us not really relaxing, looking at these next days as days to realign ourselves and get ready for the next challenge, I think it speaks volumes about this team where we’re at mentally, we understand collectively that the job’s not done and we have to get our bodies freshened up so we can get ready for the next series.”
On how this year’s mood differs from last season’s:
“To beat a great team like Boston last year, obviously we were very excited. This year we just have another year with each other. We — I don’t know. It’s just us being very locked into the moment and understanding there’s a lot more work to do. And as soon as you start relaxing is when you lose in the playoffs. It’s great to see our guys kind of hungry for the next challenge.”
On using the layoff to reset physically and mentally:
“We’ll take these days. We’ll take [Monday] to heal our bodies, heal our minds — especially me, myself, especially the mind part, mentally, and get back to work on us, on our game plan, our offensive execution, our defensive execution. Continue to find ways that we can get better so we start that next series and we’re at our best version of the year.”
Miles McBride
On why reaching the conference finals isn’t enough for this Knicks team:
“That’s what we expect to do. I feel like this group is special. We can’t take it for granted. It’s something special to do. Obviously this fan base has been wanting this, but we have to stay locked in. Getting to the Eastern Conference finals isn’t the final goal.”
On his growth after feeling his fit in the NBA was uncertain earlier in his career:
“I just felt like my back was against the wall. The only way I could get out of it was to fight and just trust myself.”
On admitting the real reason behind his “Golden Child” tattoo:
“Yeah, but a lot of other people have called me that so it worked out. Shoutout to my sister.”
Trey McBride (Deuce’s Brother)
On feeling like Miles got away with things growing up:
“I would do something. I’d get in trouble for it. … Miles does something — he could do the exact same thing, and no one bats an eye. And I was just like, ‘Yo. He’s doing the same thing! I’m calling it out.’ And he would just look at me and kind of chuckle, because he knew he got away with it.”
On his reaction to the “Golden Child” tattoo:
“I swear to you, he got this as a middle finger to me.”
On Miles’ refusal to admit the real reason for the tattoo:
“He would never admit he was doing it to piss me off. He would say he’s doing it because my grandma calls me this or my brother gave me that nickname. Like, ‘It just feels right.’ Some Miles bull—- answer.”
On believing there was some truth behind the rivalry:
“It’s probably a little true, to be honest with you. Like, he probably does like the nickname that I gave to him, because things have gone pretty well for him. But I swear to you, there is a small piece of him that is like, ‘Yeah, Trey, take that. I’m the golden child.’”
Josh Hart
On how this postseason run feels compared to last year’s:
“I think the way we beat Boston last year, the comebacks and all that, it was very — I don’t want to say celebratory, but it was — it hit a little bit different than here. It’s just, we’re approaching the business as normal and we gotta make sure we’re locked in and focused on the next team.”
On the team’s current flow and continued hunger:
“It just didn’t happen overnight. It was a process of trial and error and figuring things out, figuring out where everyone wants the ball, new system, new coaches, stuff like that. So I think we’re in a good little flow state right now, but we’ve got to make sure we continue to get better and not be complacent.”
On using the extended break to recover:
“It’s good. I think we’re all a little banged up, so you know — get some treatment, some rest and recovery. Watch the other games and be ready.”
Mikal Bridges
On playing with urgency even while holding a 3-0 series lead:
“Being able to play desperate even being up 3-0. Shoutouts to everybody: Shoutouts to the coaches and everybody who played tonight.”
On staying afloat while OG Anunoby recovers:
“We’re gonna hold it down for OG and do whatever it takes and hopefully give him some more time to heal up, but next man up. We’ve got a lot of talent on this team, a lot of smart IQ guys and we’re gonna hold it down for OG and anybody else who gets hurt.”
Landry Shamet
On the impact of shooting coach Peter Patton on the Knicks’ performances:
“He’s the man. There’s some guys that get it, understand the nuances of shooting. The reality is it’s very nuanced. It’s not as cookie cutter as a lot of people might think like, ‘Have your elbow in a certain position’ and ‘You need more arch,’ and those kind of cliché things that you hear a lot. But Peter is very good at picking up on subtleties and nuances from person to person. My stuff is different from Mikal [Bridges’], and his stuff is different from Jose [Alvarado’s]. He understands that. And he’s good at not being overbearing and doing too much. Just finding ways to give you a couple things to hang onto to think about, to pay attention to. Cause the reality is a lot of guys in here were really good shooters. How can you marginally kind of move the needle? And he’s been really helpful. He’s been great.”
Kenny Smith
On the level of difficulty increasing in the Eastern Conference Finals:
“It gets real again in the next round for the Knicks. Cleveland and the Pistons have caused problems for the Knicks this year.”
Charles Barkley
On how he views the Knicks’ path to the conference finals:
“Whoever they play next is a very difficult series.”
Shaquille O’Neal
On whether anyone in the East can slow the Knicks right now:
“They’ve shown me they are ready. And I have to disagree with both guys, I think they’ll breeze through whoever the next opponent is if they play like this.”
On his ultimate prediction for New York:
“Knicks going to the finals.”
Stephen A. Smith
On his belief that the Knicks can finish the job:
“Philadelphia 76ers, my condolences. We’ll talk about them later. New York Knicks going to the finals. I think they can win the championship. Yes, I do.”
Jay Williams
On the Knicks’ chances if they reach the NBA Finals:
“1,000 percent. I’ll say, once you get to the finals, anything can happen. I still think OKC would be favoured. But still, they could put up a fighter’s chance. By the way, I know that we’ll talk about this later, but you have Cleveland, then you have Detroit. If I’m the Knicks, I want Detroit. I’ll say it.”
On wanting a shot at the Pistons and Cade Cunningham:
“I know because Cade Cunningham is a Knicks killer. And J.B. Bickerstaff, we want all the smoke with that team all the time. You haven’t seen this version of us. OK, I want that back. I want a chance to redeem myself. I’ll take Cleveland or Detroit, doesn’t really matter.”
COVERS INTEL:
