Knicks Have Best Defensive Performance Of The Year In 5th Straight Win | New York Knicks
112-84. GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US. DOESN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THIS. DOMINANT WINS FOR THE KNICKS. A SEASON BEST SEVEN GAMES ABOVE .500. THE BEST OFFENSIVE OUTING. WE EMPHASIZED THE D IN THE PREGAME SHOW. ALL GOOD EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK. DOMINATING PERFORMANCE AT HOME. WHEN TEAMS COME INTO THIS BUILDING THE KNICKS HAVE TO ESTABLISH IT’S GOING TO BE IMPOSSIBLE TO GET A WIN. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE A YOUNG REBUILDING TEAM LIKE THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS. EVERYONE THAT STEPPED OUT ON THE FLOOR, THEY ARE DOING THEIR JOB, PLAYING LIKE PROFESSIONALS. THEY ARE JUST TAKING CARE OF
BUSINESS ONE POSSESSION AT A TIME. THIS COACHING STAFF HAS COMPLETELY RETOOLED THIS TEAM IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME WITH A TRADE AND LOSING A BIG PIECE IN MITCHELL ROBINSON. THIS TEAM IS PLAYING ITS BEST BASKETBALL THAT I THINK THEY HAVE PLAYED IN YEARS. THEY ARE SO TIGHT ON BOTH ENDS OF THE FLOOR, IT’S REALLY FUN TO WATCH. THE FANS CAN APPRECIATE IT, TOO. WE TALKED INTANGIBLES BY OG ANUNOBY. TONIGHT, HE PUT POINTS UP. LOOK AT HIS NUMBERS. 23 POINTS. WE TALK ABOUT HIS EFFICIENCY. HE NEEDED 12 SHOTS TO GET 23 POINTS. IT’S FUN TO
WATCH. HE BARELY BREAKS A SWEAT. HE GOES THROUGH HIS MOVEMENTS IN SUCH A SIMPLE WAY. IT’S REALLY FUN TO WATCH HIM
BREAKOUT GAME WITH YOUR NEW TEAM. THE KEY WAS THE 16 POINTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER. KNICKS WERE UP BY 16 AFTER THE FIRST 12 MINUTES AND NEVER LOOKED BACK. McBRIDE, 16 POINTS. THAT’S A SEASON HIGH FOR HIM. ONE OF THE KEY ASPECTS TO THE KNICKS GAME WAS THE WAY THEY SHARED THE BALL. THAT’S REALLY ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE BEEN SEEING SINCE THE ACQUISITION OF OG ANUNOBY OVER THE LAST FIVE GAMES. THE FIRST HALF, 15 ASSISTS ON 20 FIELD GOALS. McBRIDE WAS A BIG BENEFICIARY OF THOSE. HE IS SHOOTING THE BALL AT AN ASTOUNDING
CLIP. ASTOUNDING. HIS THREE-POINT SHOOTING IS UP AROUND 50%. LOOK AT THIS BALL MOVEMENT. SHARING IS CARING ALL OVER THE PLACE BY THE NEW YORK KNICKS. IT’S GREAT TO SEE THE WAY THIS TEAM IS PLAYING. 26 ASSISTS ON 37 FIELD GOALS. RANDLE IS MAKING ALL THE RIGHT PLAYS. I’M TELLING YOU, THERE’S MORE ROOM FOR RANDLE TO OPERATE AND READ DOUBLE TEAMS AND MAKE PASSES BECAUSE OF THE FLOOR BEING SO SPACED, ADDING A SHOOTER LIKE ANUNOBY OUT THERE. GRIMES HAS FOUND HIS STROKE. COMFORTABLE COMING OFF THE BENCH, KNOCKING DOWN SHOTS. McBRIDE KNOCKING DOWN SHOTS. HART, THE GLUE
THAT’S BRINGING IT TOGETHER. THAT’S A DOMINATING PERFORMANCE AND WIN. MENTION, HARTENSTEIN WITH 14 REBOUNDS, THREE MORE STEALS. WE TALKED ABOUT HIS CONTRIBUTION AND HOW HE HAS EVOLVED INTO A BIG-TIME STARTING CENTER. HE HAS GOTTEN HIS OPPORTUNITY. HE WAS KEY AS WELL TONIGHT. THE KNICKS NOW BLOW OUT THE BLAZERS BY THE COUNT OF 112-84. WE WILL TRY TO CHECK IN WITH MONICA. IT DOES NOT GET MORE DOMINATING THAN IT HAS BEEN HERE OVER THE LAST HANDFUL OF GAMES. NO. THE WAY THEY HANDLED THIS GAME IS SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT. THIS GROUP — YOU HEARD JULIUS RANDLE
SPEAK OF WHO IS NOW A 15-1 RECORD AGAINST TEAMS WITH A LOSING RECORD THAT COME IN, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY COME IN THE BUILDING. IT’S WHAT HE SAID WAS, WE DON’T PLAY WITH OUR FOOD. THAT’S A MENTALITY THAT YOU — IT SOUNDS SIMPLE. BEAT THE TEAMS YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BEAT. WE HAVE SEEN IN THE NBA THAT DOESN’T ALWAYS HAPPEN. YOU SOMETIMES COME OUT SOFT AGAINST THEM. 15-1 IS THE SECOND BEST IN THE NBA WITH TEAMS WITH A LOSING RECORD. THE ONLY TEAM BETTER THAN THAT IS THE NUGGETS. THEY 18-0 AGAINST TEAMS UNDER .500. YOU HAVE
TO TAKE CARE OF YOUR BUSINESS. THAT’S WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING. TO ME, WITH RANDLE SAYING THAT, IT SHOWS YOU THE MENTALITY OF THE GROUP AND THE TOUGH NESS WE SAW AT THE BEGINNING. THIS ISN’T NEW. IT’S STARTING TO COME TOGETHER NOW WITH THIS GROUP. THE DEFENSE, HOLDING A TEAM NOW UNDER 90 POINTS. THE DEFENSIVE RATING THAT WE DISCUSSED BY THE WAY IN THE PREGAME, AFTER THE TRADE BUT ALSO IN THE MONTH OF JANUARY, IT’S THE BEST IN THE LEAGUE AFTER A MONTH IN DECEMBER WHERE IT WAS 30th IN THE LEAGUE. CAN YOU JUST FLIP
A SWITCH? IT’S POSSIBLE WHEN IT’S JUST THE RIGHT FIT. WALLY, YOU SAID IT. I BUY INTO THIS. THERE’S MORE ROOM ON THE FLOOR FOR BRUNSON AND RANDLE NOW. THERE’S A LITTLE MORE DEFENSIVE MINDSET. THE UNSELFISHNESS BECOMES SECONDARY, BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE THE RIGHT PLAY. THE MOOD IN THE BUILDING, YOU COULD FEEL IT. WE TALKED ABOUT IT. THE CROWD FEELS CONFIDENT IN WHAT THE TEAM CAN DO. IT SHOWS WITH THE WAY THE TEAM IS PLAYING. THIS IS A REALLY GOOD BASKETBALL TEAM RIGHT NOW. THEY TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AGAINST GOOD TEAMS LIKE WE JUST
SAW WITH THEM BEATING THE SIXERS ON THEIR HOME FLOOR, BUT IN THE LAST TWO GAMES AGAINST TEAMS LOSING, THEY DON’T WASTE TIME. THEY GET TO WORK. THAT FIRST QUARTER, THIS GAME FELT LIKE IT WAS OVER FIVE MINUTES IN. I AGREE. THAT SIXERS PERFORMANCE WAS EYE OPENING, BLOWING THEM OFF THE FLOOR ON THEIR HOME FLOOR. THEN TO COME BACK AND BACK IT UP WITH TWO DOMINANT WINS AGAINST TEAMS THAT YOU SHOULD WIN AND TO DO IT IN CONVINCING FASHION, THIS IS — THIS TEAM HAS A SWAGGER. THEY ARE PLAYING WITH CONFIDENCE THAT’S FUN TO WATCH. YOU
TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE BUILDING. I WAS IN THE BUILDING AND I’M WATCHING THE CROWD. THEY ARE WATCHING THIS GAME, EXPECTING THEIR TEAM TO WIN. IT’S BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE THE KNICKS HAVE HAD THAT TYPE OF DOMINANCE, ESPECIALLY ON THEIR HOME FLOOR. IT’S GOOD TO SEE THE WAY THEY ARE PLAYING. HOW ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTION OFF THE BENCH? TO ME, I THOUGHT IT WAS KEY THAT McBRIDE IN HIS FIRST ROTATION, SIX MINUTES, EIGHT POINTS. THAT WAS IMPORTANT. IF HE CAN PROVIDE QUALITY MINUTES BEHIND BRUNSON, THAT’S ANOTHER IMPACT FROM THIS TRADE WITH NO RJ AND NO
QUICKLEY AND GETTING McBRIDE MORE MINUTES. THAT’S CRITICAL IF HE CAN CONTRIBUTE THE WAY HE HAS BEEN. WASN’T THAT THE BIGGEST QUESTION? AFTER THE TRADE, HOW DO THEY MAKE UP FOR THE POINTS OFF THE BENCH THAT YOU LOST WHEN YOU MOVE ON FROM QUICKLEY? 15 POINTS A GAME. BETWEEN GRIMES BUT ALSO McBRIDE, BECAUSE HE HAD NEVER PLAYED THIS ROLE FULL-TIME BEFORE. THEY GAVE HIM THE ROLE. THEY GAVE HIM A CONTRACT EXTENSION. THEY PUT CONFIDENCE IN HIM. YOU SEE IT COME OUT OF HIM AS WELL. I THINK THAT’S — IT SAYS A LOT ABOUT THE COACHING STAFF
AND HOW THEY ARE QUIETLY DEVELOPING PLAYERS, EVEN THE GUYS THAT AREN’T PLAYING A LOT. YOU DON’T SEE IT, BUT WHAT YOU DO IN THE DARK SHOWS IN THE LIGHT. ALL THOSE MINUTES AND THE EXTRA TIME THAT McBRIDE HAS BEEN PUTTING IN IN THE GYM WHILE HE HASN’T BEEN PLAYING, GETTING READY FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY SO WHEN IT’S GIVEN TO HIM, HE IS ABLE TO PERFORM. CONFIDENT IN HIS SHOOTING. THE DEFENSE IS THERE AS WELL. IF HE CAN GET THOSE MINUTES, LIKE YOU SAW. IT WAS LATE FIRST QUARTER, HE COMES IN. BRUNSON COMES OUT TO GET REST.
McBRIDE STARTS PUTTING UP SHOTS. KNOCKS DOWN, GETS EIGHT POINTS IN SIX MINUTES, GREAT PRODUCTION. IT WAS ANOTHER REASON WHY THE KNICKS HAD A BIG LEAD EARLY ON. MONICA, YOUR IMPRESSION FROM ANOTHER DOMINANT KNICKS WIN? MY KEY TO THE GAME WAS NOTHING STATISTICAL, IT WAS FOCUS. ESPECIALLY AFTER THE TEAM CAME OFF A GOOD WIN IN BROOKLYN. I THINK AS YOU AND WE — AS THIS TEAM CONTINUES TO GROW AND BE ONE OF THE BETTER TEAMS IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE, TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS. THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT THEY DID FROM WIRE TO WIRE. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON
— IT SEEMS LIKE THE ROLES ON THIS TEAM, AFTER THE TRADE, ARE COMPLETELY DEFINED. NO GUYS ARE LOOKING OVER THEIR SHOULDERS WORRIED ABOUT MINUTES, WHO SHOULD FINISH THE GAME, WHO SHOULD BE COMING OFF THE BENCH, WHO SHOULD BE STARTING. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ROLE ALLOCATION? I THINK THE ROLES ARE CLEARLY DEFINED. IT ALLOWED THEM TO PLAY SIMPLE. WE KNEW THAT BRUNSON AND RANDLE ARE GOING TO HAVE THE BASKETBALL. I THINK WHAT I’M SEEING IN TRANSITION MAKES ME EXCITED. I THINK THAT’S ENERGIZING THE TEAM. EVERYBODY KIND OF GETS THEIR CHANCES. THE HIERARCHY IS THERE.
THOSE ARE THE TWO GUYS THAT WE HOPE TO SEE GETS NODS TO GO TO INDIANAPOLIS AND BE ALL STARS. OG COMES IN AND HE WILL SPACE THE FLOOR. I THINK THE TEMPO, THE BALL IS MOVING, THE PASSING HAS BEEN TERRIFIC. I WOULD AGREE WITH YOU IT DOES SEEM LIKE THERE’S MORE CLARITY TO GO AROUND. THAT CAN HAPPEN. ONE SIMPLE MOVE. YOU WANT TO — WAVE A MAGIC WAND AND CHANGE THE FORTUNES OF A TEAM. SOMETIMES YOU CAN. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S THE RIGHT FIT. THIS IS A TEAM THAT WAS LACKING THAT WING PLAYER THAT OG ANUNOBY
HAS BECOME. HOW ABOUT THE START THAT HE HAD TO THIS GAME? IT WAS AS IF RANDLE AND BRUNSON WERE LIKE, GO FOR IT, YOU HAVE THE HOT HAND. THEY KEPT FEEDING HIM. THE CORNER THREES, HE WAS KNOCKING THEM DOWN. EVERYTHING ELSE SEEMS TO FALL INTO PLACE. WE MENTIONED HARTENSTEIN AND WHAT HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO DO.
