Believe it or not, the Knicks won one on the road.
New York visited Dallas and handed the Mavs a controversial L, earning their first win outside MSG.
Here’s what he heard before and after yesterday’s victory.
Mike Brown
On managing minutes early in the season:
“It’s so early in the season, the reality of it is that I don’t want to gas my guys this early in the season. If the minutes can be respectable across the board, especially at this time of the year, then we can increase the minutes come playoff time or late in the season. Getting these guys reps in case someone gets hurt or in case we have to throw someone in the game. There is a comfort level that they have, and not only that they have, but I have, the staff has and everybody else has with someone new on the floor.”
On player usage and Josh Hart’s role:
“You definitely want guys to feel good about how they’re being used as part of the group, but in the same breath, Josh has been fantastic. There’s been two, maybe three instances early on that I’ve kicked myself for not throwing him back in the game late.”
On Hart’s versatility:
“They’re not the same player, but he’s such a glue piece like Andre Iguodala was in Golden State. He just ties everything and anybody together. He does so many things out there that are just really simple that makes the game easier for everybody… And he can definitely do that for us and probably play more minutes, but at the end of the day, we have a good team, and I’m gonna try to spread [the minutes] around as best I can.”
On Landry Shamet’s defense:
“I give the referee credit. It was a hook. And a lot of people might not have called it down the stretch but it was the right call. And he definitely took Shamet’s left arm and I had a great view of it, and I’m glad the official did, and more importantly I’m glad he made the right call.”
On the defensive player of the game vs. Dallas:
“Shamet was the team’s defensive player of the game. Fantastic job on the ball all night.”
On deciding on Mitchell Robinson’s minutes:
“I’m not sure about that. We’ve gotta take it one game at a time and follow what the medical people tell us. He can go longer with his stretches. He can go longer with his minutes now than before. It’s constantly on the rise based on what Casey and his group tell us.”
On rebounding rules and Josh Hart:
“Josh is a special rebounder. And … we have crash zones where we want our guys to crash the glass from. But the reality of it is, as special as Josh is, when it comes to second opportunities, he’s going to have a lot of freedom, no matter where he is on the floor.”
On player freedom within his system:
“I’m a quick decision guy. Catch it, pass it, shoot it or snap drive. But if Jalen catches it, he dances with it a little bit, he’s got that leeway, that freedom. If he dances with it two or three times in a row and it’s not working, it’s my job to say, ‘Hey, let’s go quick decision and we’re moving on.’ But those types of guys have the freedom.”
On Steve Kerr’s competitive edge:
“Steve looks like this all-American dude, kid with blonde hair and blue eyes and everybody thinks he’s nice and sweet and all that. You know, he can be an a–hole. He’s competitive. He used to preach to our guys, ‘Nah, we’re not holding the ball. Finish the game. If they don’t wanna play defense, screw ’em. We’re gonna finish the game. We’re gonna keep getting better.’”
On running up the score in the NBA Cup:
“I don’t know if I have what it takes to do that all the time. I feel bad. I feel like I’m competitive, maybe not as much as Steve. I feel bad trying to run the score up. But in the Cup situation, it’s natural, because of the point differential. And I think at the end of games, it should be the way that Steve says. Just freakin’ play. Because the guys on the floor, they need to get better. You wanna execute. You don’t want a turnover. Just keep playing. That’s what competition is about. So, I like it. I hope others do, too, because that’s what true competition is about.”
On game pace and injuries around the league:
“I think if we did play less games, it would help because the game is faster and you’re putting a lot of pressure on everyone’s bodies playing three in four nights or 14–15 back-to-backs throughout the course of a year. So if you had a few more days in-between to recover, from a novice speaking, I think it would be better, but that’s just my two cents. Not every other day. That’s still a lot. But to space it out just a little bit more, have less back-to-backs so guys have a real opportunity to recover, I think could be beneficial just because of how fast the game is.”
Jalen Brunson
On his mindset during pressure situations:
“These are building blocks to the stuff we have to work on now. The quicker we get better at this, the better it’s going to be for us in the long run. These are not pressure situations. This is the stuff we work on. It’s what we do … let’s go out and do it.”
On the controversial ending and beating Dallas:
“Chaos. At the same time, found a way to win. It was ugly. When you win ugly, it’s a sign of a team learning, getting better. No matter what the situation is, we’ve got to find a way to win.”
On ending the losing streak on the road:
“Finally. Finally. We’re happy, but we got a lot of work to do.”
Mikal Bridges
On Brunson’s toughness and return from injury after missing just two games:
“Just mental toughness. Just going through pain. I know a lot of guys be in pain, and some guys sit out longer than usual. But I think it’s just mental toughness to get through it and be alright playing through pain. You ain’t gotta be 100 percent out there. So I think that mental toughness he has.”
Josh Hart
On knowing rebounding rules but enjoying some freedom:
“I know what the zones are supposed to be. But for me, it’s just across halfcourt. That’s my zone.
“Obviously, you’d like to crash corners and stuff like that. But for me, I have a good track on the ball, and if I’m able to make a break on it, I’m going to do that. [Brown’s] kind of given me the green light to do that and kind of bend the rules a little bit. He lets me kind of have free rein. Just roam and be myself.”
On overtaking Russell Westbrook as the best rebounding guard:
“Right now, I think, I’m better than Russ. But the history books — he’s the best rebounding guard to ever play the game. In that sense, it’s a fun kind of title or label to have.”
On his admiration for Westbrook:
“His competitiveness, his passion — he’s one of the guys I definitely admire.”
On Brown’s flexibility:
“It’s just of one those things — it’s coaches being able to adapt to their personnel. It’s: ‘This is the style that I normally do, that I’m comfortable with. But this person has this skill set, they’re very good at that, I don’t want to limit that. So let him be himself.’ Obviously, give him credit for that.”
On playing more with OG Anunoby out:
“I hope [I play more]. Before he went down, I think I was playing the least minutes of my career.”
On checking his minutes after games:
“When I’m mad, yeah. But I’m ready to have to always do what needs to be done to help the team get wins.”
On adapting to coaches:
“For players it takes a while to get used to a system, and with coaches it takes a while to get used to players.”
On the NBA schedule:
“Do I think there’s too many games? Yeah. Conversely, will governors and league and players take a pay cut to not do that? I don’t know.”
On soft-tissue injuries:
“The guys are faster, they’re stronger, they’re more athletic. And with that being said, you have to allow more time than normal of rest and recovery. But for me, I never really worry too much about the injury side of it. I pray before every game, and if something does happen, it’s part of my testimony.”
Landry Shamet
On the controversial foul call:
“I knew if he was calling something, it was an offensive foul. Did I think he was going to? Down the stretch, you guys know how the whistle is and sometimes it’s play through it, sometimes you get the call.”
On the referee’s decision:
“That was a good call by the officials. Tough way to see the game end on a call like that, but I think they made the right call. I want that one, as a defender, I want that one.”
On the Knicks’ overall performance:
“We don’t want it to come down to that, though. We gotta do a better job of playing 48 minutes and find a way to create some more separation earlier in the game.”
On clutch shooting:
“The ball found me, I didn’t find any open looks early. Stayed composed, and knew, had a feeling some would come in the fourth and they did. Just step in, ready to shoot, good plays by my teammates, and I’ll take them.”
On his missed free throws and winning ugly:
“I gotta make two free throws. A wild finish down the stretch. It’s a road win, they’re not always gonna be pretty. That was not 48 minutes of basketball that we would like to play. But you’ll take the road win, and we can build on it.”
Mitchell Robinson
On the mental side of his role:
“It was at first, but after thinking about it a lot, obviously I don’t want to miss the playoffs or later on in the future. Whatever’s best, just going to stick to it.”
On making the most of his short bursts of play:
“I feel like I adjusted pretty well, getting out there playing hard for my little short minutes bursts, whatever. Just taking it all in.”
On doing what’s asked:
“Doing what [Brown] asks, bro. Doing what he asks.”
On contributing in any role:
“I just continue to play hard. And if they need me out there longer, shorter, whatever, I’m just there.”
On playing time flexibility:
“I’m just doing what they ask, bro. [I can play] whatever they throw me out there for.”
On staying locked in:
“Just go out there and play hard, do the little things. Box-out, offensive rebounding. Everything else is gonna work itself out.”
On his health priorities:
“Just want to be healthy, ready to play. That’s the biggest goal. Keep doing everything right and keep hooping.”
Jason Kidd
On playing in New York for the Knicks late in his career:
“It’s the Mecca. It’s one of the most popular places to play. I enjoyed that one year. The car ran out of gas at the end. Had to park it.”
On the Knicks job and staying in Dallas:
“I think when you look at what the Knicks did this summer, understand it was denied, but I never was thinking about leaving. I love Dallas, I love working for Patrick. Understanding that we have a lot of work to be done to be a champion. I’m all-in to be able to do that. I was drafted here, I won here, I love the city, I love the fans, so it never crossed my mind to leave Dallas. I think it’s safe to say we all enjoy being wanted. So that was a nice touch.”
On his time with the Nets:
“But I really enjoyed that place when I played on the other side of the river in New Jersey, because we owned it. Wanted to see if I could make you guys laugh. I’ve been practicing that all day.”
