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Thibodeau, Brunson, Mitchell Robinson and others spoke for the first time ahead of the playoffs.

The Knicks enjoyed a day off on Monday but they got back to work on Tuesday as they gear up for the first round of the playoffs where they will meet one of Miami or Philadelphia for a seven-game series New York surely hopes to end in four—all victories.

With no Eastern Conference basketball played during the first couple of days of the week and the Play-In matchup between Sixers and Heat scheduled for Wednesday evening, it’s not that we’ve heard a lot from our beloved folks.

That being said, here is what we got from a few individuals during the last 48 hours.

Tom Thibodeau

On the challenge of facing Joel Embiid or Bam Adebayo in the first round...

“We can play great defense, and they’re still gonna make [a shot]. You’re talking about MVP caliber players here, so we know we can’t give them a steady diet, or they’ll adjust to that as well.”

On how he will scheme the defense to try and stop those floor-stretching bigs...

“Those are decisions we’ve got to make because when you’ve got great players, they’re gonna put you in situations where you’ve gotta determine what you’re going to be willing to live with.”

”Is the mid-range shot something you would rather have them taking than the layup or the open three, or does it lead to another offensive rebound, which is another high-value shot? So weighing all of those things is something that you have to do, but I know we have to mix our coverages up.”

On which team he’d rather face in the first round between Philadelphia and Miami...

“At this time of the year, they’re both great teams. When you’re looking at it, people are saying, ‘what about this team, that team…’ If you got this far, every team poses different problems.”

“We have to be ready. I know you guys think it’s cliché, but that’s why you start the season [thinking] this is what you’re going to need in the end. Build that habit all year long so when you get here you’re not adjusting.”

“This isn’t the first time we’ve done it. I think understanding what their strengths and weaknesses are, what they’re doing well right now, what we have to do, is a big part of winning.”

On Mitchell Robinson’s status after he sat the second half of Sunday’s game against Chicago...

“He’s fine, went through practice.”

On having players at the training facilities even on a day off on Tuesday...

“They all deserve credit, and I think the staff does too, from the standpoint of you start in the fall with ‘these are the habits we want to build.’”

“We say it all the time: You want to establish a routine and you don’t want to deviate from that routine, so you’re ready for everything. I think if you’re not doing that, it’s like cramming for an exam. If you’ve been studying all along, your preparation will give you confidence.”

On Deuce McBride’s breakout season and larger role heading into the playoffs...

“I have a lot of confidence in Deuce just because I see him every day, I see what he puts into it, and the sky’s the limit for him.”

“He’s never satisfied. He knows the game. He wants to get better. He’s learning every day. He’s a sponge. He’s around good people. But he’s a fierce competitor, and all the things that he does well, I think will lend itself to what we’re facing right now.”

Mitchell Robinson

On the challenge of facing Bam Adebayo and the Heat...

“Bam, he’s not like your average five. You know what I mean? He brings it up the court most of the time, so it’s like, not many fives that’s doing that. But watching that from last year and just watching him over the season this year, I got a pretty good idea.”

Miles McBride

On what he expects from his first playoffs action in a meaningful role...

“I think it will be great. I think I’m a gritty player, I can knock down shots, I can be an outlet for a guy like Jalen [Brunson], and then defensively I’m able to guard up [in size] or guard down. I know it’s gonna be a great atmosphere for us.”

On what he learned last season and how he will apply that knowledge to this year’s playoffs...

“I take what I learned last year from the little bit I did play, and just watching the team go out there, and we were able to get one playoff-series win. This year, I’m just bringing a fresh mindset and will do what I’ve been doing the whole year.”

”Just the environment, the intensity, I think just understanding that every game is important in the sense that it can shift so fast. In the regular season you can win or lose a few, but it almost goes back to March Madness in college, like when you lose, you really feel that and you’re thinking what can we do to survive? So I like that survival mentality.”

Josh Hart

On how OG Anunoby’s offensive game and constant cuts mess with opponents...

“You can’t game plan for that stuff. I think that’s the biggest thing.”

“You can sit there and game plan certain plays or certain guys’ style or whatever it is, but when you make those spur-of-the-moment cuts or plays or whatever, it’s hard to defend. It’s hard to scout.”

Jalen Brunson

On how the Knicks are getting ready for whoever they have to face next...

“The same, the same. Preparing, making sure we’re getting our minds right and then seeing where we’re at and going from there.”

On getting snubbed from the leaked Team USA 11-man roster for the Olympics...

“I was just focused on playoffs, I didn’t even look at the list.”

Kendrick Perkins (Former NBA Player)

On Shaq and Chuck disrespecting the Knicks all season long and not considering them contenders...

“It’s obviously [because] they don’t watch basketball. I’m serious, they can’t watch basketball on a consistent basis. The only time that they actually probably watch the Knicks are when they’re covering the Knicks on their game night.”

“If you’re watching the New York Knicks, there’s no way in hell that you could just downplay the way that they’ve been playing the game of basketball.”

“If you’re watching the New York Knicks, there’s no way in hell that you could downplay that Jalen Brunson has been the best player in the Eastern Conference.”

Mark Jackson on Knicks playoffs: "No excuses…You're #2 seed…Got a lot to be proud of…Mentality if I'm them: 'Why not us?'"
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"Jalen Brunson, I don't know how you defend him. Now all of a sudden…he's a willing passer…He's an assassin…" pic.twitter.com/wfhlQTRjOB
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 16, 2024

Mark Jackson (Former NBA Player)

On his expectations for the Knicks entering the playoffs...

“No excuses. I mean, you were the No. 2 seed, and Julius Randle missed a lot of the season.”

“Jalen Brunson played incredible basketball, that supporting cast did an outstanding job, they’re extremely well-coached with Tom Thibodeau, they got a lot to be proud of. My mentality if I’m them is, ‘Why not us?’ There’s other teams hobbled, there’s other teams not playing with the type of rhythm that the Knicks have right now. Mindset should be win, advance and live to see another round.”

On Brunson’s MVP-level season...

“Jalen Brunson, I don’t know how you defend him. He’s a willing passer. Teams are double-teaming him. He’s embracing the double-team, dropping the passes off, making guys better, putting them in position to make and take big shots.”