Knicks Bulletin: Opening Night Special

Yesterday at 07:00 AM

The biggest quote board ever put together ft. Thibodeau, Brunson, Towns, and Bridges!

After more than five months (yes) of waiting since the New York Knicks season came to an abrupt end on May 19, we're (so) back at it.

Real basketball is here and the Knicks will visit the reigning champs Boston Celtics trying to ruin their ring ceremony on Tuesday evening in what is probably the most anticipated Knicks season opener in two-plus decades.

For this unique occasion and to help you tame your nerves and creeping anxiety, here's a humongous quote board in the biggest edition of the Knicks Bulletin we've ever put together.

Enjoy, and Go Knicks!

Tom Thibodeau

On Josh Hart's preseason struggles:

"He's fine. It's the same role he's always had. That role doesn't change. Just get out there and help the team.

"We're a new team and we're going through preseason, so there's a lot for all of us to figure out."

On Josh Hart's versatility and the possibility of moving him to the second unit:

"He's going to be playing with both units. I always liked that about his game, his versatility.

"The same holds true for everybody. I like that we can mix and match. We have guys that will be on the bench that are basically starters. I like that aspect of our team.

"Just get out there, get better each day. The better you practice, the better you'll play. It's really pretty simple."

On the depleted bench unit and the big-man rotation:

"We have more than enough. So next guy get in there, and get the job done. I love the depth of our team."

On Jericho Sims' preseason and growth:

"There were some good things and some things obviously [he] could do better.

"His rebounding was off the charts, which was huge for us. That's elite. So bring rebounding, bring defense, bring athleticism, put the pressure on the rim, set great screens.

"And oftentimes, there's not stats that are reflected in that, other than you're helping the team function well. He has the ability, because of his athleticism, to play very well. So you play the ball, stay below the roller, get back, make a decision in the restricted area—those are things that are hard to measure but because of his athleticism, it's what he's good at."

On the number of players he will use as part of his daily rotation:

"Whatever we need.

"Again, you have to look at your opponent and you have to ask, 'What are the matchups going to be?' That's a big factor in it.

"Some teams are going to play eight, some play eight and a half, some nine. Very few play 10. And so if they've got their starters out there for 36, 37 minutes, you're probably going to be matched up with them."

On the perception that he leans too heavily on his starters:

"That seems to be your (media) bias.

"The last time I checked I think Jalen [Brunson] played 35 minutes a game last year, Josh [Hart] played 33, but why let the facts get in the way."

On avoiding distractions during the Celtics' ring ceremony and the game that'll follow:

"To me it's like, there's situations like that all the time, whether it's a ring ceremony or they're honoring a team. So you've dealt with that.

"Any time it's going to be extended, you're going to decide whether you're going to stay in the locker room, do film, whatever, it's all part of the league. The important thing is to understand don't get distracted. That's their thing.

"What we have to do is we have to be ready to play. When they say the ball is going up at this time, we have to be ready to play when that thing goes up. So that's all I want us to lock into.

"I really don't care what they're doing. I'm focused on what we're doing."

On always staying mentally ready, whether it's Game 1 or Game 82:

"For us, I want our players sticking to their routine. I think that's important. I think if you get caught up in the hoopla, you're getting away from what's really important — being mentally ready to play, emotionally ready to play, physically ready to play.

"So I think that's the important thing: Just lock into what we have to do."

Jalen Brunson

On Josh Hart's shaky preseason and role within the Knicks:

"I feel like Josh is a very unselfish person. There may be times he thinks, 'I need to get somebody else involved.' But from my point of view, I just feel like we need to be better as teammates to make sure we're all on the same page or we're all giving each other confidence regardless.

"I have to be a better leader and make sure he's ready to go by game one. It's on me. That starts with me."

On whether Hart would benefit from coming off the bench:

"That's his opinion."

On the Knicks' season opener in Boston:

"We're excited to get the season started. I don't think there's any extra motivation going into Game 1—it's the first game of the season.

"For us, we're gonna see where we are after Game 1, and we're gonna have to get better regardless. So let's just go out and see where we are, and move from there.

"But we're excited for the opportunity to play against the team that everyone's chasing, and we'll be ready to go."

On facing the Pacers on the second game of the season following last year's ECSF elimination:

"We're excited for every challenge, we don't have circled dates, we don't have teams that we're looking for.

"The most important game is our next game, so as long as we continue to focus on one day at a time like we have been, I think we're gonna continue to make great strides going forward.

"We just can't lose sight of that, we can't look ahead or look past anyone, and I know that having Thibs, he's not gonna allow us to do that."

On a possible WWE rematch against Tyrese Haliburton:

"I'm never gonna say never, but we'll see.

"I gotta start focusing on putting the ball in the hoop now."

On trusting coach Tom Thibodeau's decisions:

"Honestly, as long as he's putting us in a position to win, I couldn't care less what we do. But I have the utmost trust and faith in him.

"He knows what he's doing, he's been in this for a long time. A lot of people give him a lot of criticism when it comes to that, but as a team, we stick together and we stand behind him."

On his recent contract extension with the Knicks:

"Yes, it's very team-friendly, I want the team to do so well and I want us to make sure that we're gonna be contending as long as we can.

"It was most important that I did that because you never know what can happen within a year. You can wait a year, a lot can happen, and then there are question marks, you just never know.

"So for me, it was just important to secure that for myself, my mind and everything and just play stress-free."

On being dubbed New York's next mayor by Knicks fans:

"It's been amazing, I can't lie.

"It's been really fun, it's been eye-opening, there's so many different things I can say about my experience here. It's been unbelievable, how they've taken myself in, my family and everything.

"As long as we're winning, doing well, just going out there being genuine, giving it our all every night, not quitting and taking ownership for the things that we do, I think that's what attracts the fans to us."

On Madison Square Garden's unique energy:

"I can't wait for the energy at the Garden, I can't wait for that again.

"The energy that was felt last year was unbelievable and I can't wait for it this year."

On building chemistry with Mikal Bridges during the preseason:

"It's gonna be fun, obviously we have a lot of chemistry, we've known each other for about 10 years now. It's gonna be fun, I'm really excited, I can't lie, it's gonna be a lot of fun.

"We've been on the court together, we've talked about things, but everything becomes real once training camp starts.

"So we're really excited about the opportunity again, and can't wait to see."

On his reaction to the Bridges trade compared to when the Knicks traded for fellow former Villanova Wildcat Josh Hart:

"Very similar, it was very similar.

"I was at dinner, and I was actually with people with my foundation. We were doing a camp at my high school. And afterwards, we're at dinner, and then, yeah, had a very similar reaction.

"It was really cool, I'm really excited."

On Bridges being a perfect piece within the Knicks:

"I think for us, Mikal, I said this a long time ago: He can be a perfect piece to any puzzle. And so, I think us, obviously, being here and going to school together, it definitely gets a little bit blown out of proportion.

"He's a player that will come and do whatever it takes to win. And so, he's always been that person, and the way he's just worked on his game non-stop since the day I met him, and he's put himself in the position where people think that highly of him. It's definitely the step in the right direction for us.

"We're gonna have to go out there and see when things become real."

On Bridges' growth through his pro career:

"My biggest takeaway from Mikal is just watching his work ethic grow. Not saying that he didn't work hard before, but you just see how much he cares about his craft and how much he cares about being a better basketball player every single day.

"He's another person that really takes the time to make sure his mind and body is right every single night. And so, when you have a player like that who consistently drives himself to be better, he can help any team.

"I'm just thankful he's with us."

On where he's grown the most during his NBA career:

"I mean, on and off the court, I think I'm growing as a player, as a person.

"Obviously, every single year, I'm trying to get better and better, trying to help my team win, just trying to help and do my part on the court.

"But I think the best part about everything is that the one thing that stayed the same is my consistency, like how I've been as a person, how I've been as a player, how I work out, everything. I think that's my biggest takeaway about just my time being in the league and in New York, I'm like the same person.

"I don't think anything's really got to my head. I don't think I think highly of myself, I think the same way I did before. And just trying to stay as humble I can, and continue to work as hard as I can."

On trusting and helping his teammates:

"There are never moments where like, 'Oh man, this person's hurt, like, what are we going to do?' It's like, alright, now let's step up now together.

"It's never going to be one person just picking up the slack as the five guys are out there making sure we're on the same page."

On grabbing a steel chair in WWE and generating the biggest pop he's ever experienced:

"Honestly, when I grabbed the steel chair, it was really cool. It was really, it was really cool.

"I guess I'm used to it when it comes to basketball, because I'm comfortable out there. It was a totally different type of adrenaline rush.

"It was unbelievable. I'm just happy for that opportunity, I was like a little kid again. It was so cool, I can't lie."

Karl-Anthony Towns

On not building a team with the sole purpose of beating Boston:

"For us in Minnesota, we were just building to win a championship (not to simply defeat the Denver Nuggets, then-reigning champions). So for us, we can't just be worried about one team. We got to be worried about the whole Eastern Conference.

"For us to accomplish what we want to do and what this city is yearning for us to do, we need to be able to be a team that not just beat Boston but find a way to beat every team in the East. So limiting ourselves and boxing ourselves into a philosophy of beating just one team is not going to get the job done."

On focusing on their own business and facing the Celtics on opening night:

"I mean, obviously, you're playing a great team tomorrow. We've just got to continue to worry about us first.

"So go out there and make sure we're executing our game plans and executing at a high level and utilizing the practices and preseason games we've had to help our team get better.

"I think everything starts with us worrying about how we can execute first."

On the mindset for the season:

"Just to get the job done. There's nothing else to think about but that. So just figuring out how we could put ourselves into winning spots and keep tallying ones on the left side [of our record]."

Mikal Bridges

On the challenge of playing Boston in the season opener:

"I think it's a great challenge against a team like that. We're just trying to be the best team we can be. I think us being here helps us on both sides. So just doing whatever it takes to win, and being here helps.

"Good for those guys. But I'm ready to play. Nothing else."

On Boston being motivated and feeling disrespected after winning the chip:

"I feel like they're motivated. Hearing the coaches and their guys, coming off a championship, I feel like they're still very motivated. And maybe feel slightly disrespected in a way.

"So I know they're ready. And it's a great challenge for us."

On adjusting his shooting form:

"It's just the smoothness. That's pretty much it.

"Every year, I always feel good shooting, but I always feel like I could smooth it out, try to smooth it out better. I know I shoot a pretty good percentage, but it's always just getting better every year and just keep leveling up."

On forgetting about his bad preseason shooting and getting ready for the real thing:

"We get another opportunity (on Tuesday) and now I'm 0-for-0."