Against all odds and a horn “malfunction,” the Knicks still got a road dub on Monday.
New York visited New Orleans and dropped the Pelicans further down their tank, beating them in a close affair.
Here’s the latest from your superheroes—no, really, five of them ranked inside the Eastern Conference Top 16 in votes for the ASG!
Mike Brown
On the suspicious late-game delay giving the Pelicans a challenge advantage:
“I don’t know this rule, they said that because the horn all of the sudden didn’t work that it was a stop in play and because it was a stop in play that doesn’t count for the 30 seconds or whatever you get for challenging. That horn malfunction happened at the right time for them. Suspicious? Very, very, very suspicious. I hope I don’t get fined for that.”
On the value of having an MVP-caliber player:
“You’ve got to have a guy. And when I’m talking about a guy, I’m talking about a league MVP and we have a guy. He definitely makes the game easier for everybody.”
On Mohamed Diawara’s development and impact after starting on Monday:
“The more he’s on the floor, the more he’s comfortable. Mo kept us in that game knocking down some big shots.”
On team standards, sacrifice, and connectivity:
“We’re really comfortable. I mean, at the end of the day it’s all of our standards. Sacrifice. When you play 12 guys and guys don’t care when they come in and out, you’ve seen that. People are sacrificing for their teammates. You play 12 guys and guys just keep plugging away, there’s a connectivity. It doesn’t matter if we’re up 10, down 10, our guys just keep staying with it. That shows the competitive spirit. More importantly it’s the belief in the process.”
On Kevin McCullar Jr. earning extended minutes:
“Kev’s a young, really good defender, has a great feel on both ends of the floor, but especially that end of the floor. I wanted to give him a chance. I threw him out there a few minutes and he was fantastic. So, he just earned more minutes. I didn’t have him down for that many minutes, but he definitely earned those minutes as the game went along.”
Jalen Brunson
On the Knicks always finding ways to win:
“We find a way to win. I think we have a growing confidence as a team, not necessarily just in fourth quarters. We understand how we started was unacceptable. And we got to figure out how to win a game from where we were. So we got a lot of confidence in each other. But we got to start better. And we got to play better honestly throughout the whole game. But we found a way to win.”
Miles McBride
On his mindset at the free-throw line against the Pelicans in his comeback game:
“Honestly, just my faith. I prepare for these moments. And I trust God and preparation and just go out there and give it my best.”
Jordan Clarkson
On Jose Alvarado’s punching chops:
“I feel like that’s his MO. Small guy, guys try to do that since he’s been in the league and he’s always held his own, being aggressive. He’s made his mark in this league and I don’t think he would have reacted any other way. I think he did what was right.”
Mikal Bridges
On the context behind the Suns–Pelicans altercation:
“I think it’s a lot of built-up tension. That’s what happens when you put those two games for like a mini playoff series. I know both of those guys. So it was crazy. They got a little couple-game rest. No Jose against us so that helps.”
OG Anunoby
On Mohamed Diawara’s breakout performance vs. New Orleans:
“It was awesome to see from him tonight. He’s just an amazing player and he’s only going to keep getting better and better, so it was really cool to see.”
Karl-Anthony Towns
On his hopes for the NBA All-Star Game(s):
“One, I hope I make it. And two, I hope I’m on the World Team.”
Tyler Kolek
On the growing toughness of the Knicks:
“It kind of reminds me of before I was on the team. A lot of times, those fourth quarters, they were down. I was watching those games, and Jalen and Donte and all those guys, they just had that fight to them, that toughness to them. I think it’s showing up a little bit on this team.”