Knicks Bulletin: “Seven o’clock is when I found out I was playing.”

The Knicks hosted the Magic on Friday and they put the clamps on Orlando, limiting the Disneylanders to a meager 74 points, the lowest-scoring outing all season long by any team across the league and the first time the Magic scored fewer than 92 points in 2023-24.

The win saw New York overtake Orlando in the Eastern Conference standings to retake possession of the no. 4 seed sitting half a game above the Magic and 3.5 games behind no. 3 Milwaukee and four games below Cleveland.

Here is what coach Tom Thibodeau and a few other protagonists said after yesterday’s game.

Tom Thibodeau

On the victory against Orlando and what the Knicks need to do to keep winning games...

“I thought we played well from start to finish. Being short-handed right now, we have to do it with our defense and our rebounding and keep the turnovers down.”

“When we fly around and work together like that and we have the type of activity that we did, that gives us a chance to win.”

“Every game we have a chance to win. If we defend and we rebound and we take care of the ball, we’re going to be in position to win. It doesn’t matter who you’re playing against, doesn’t matter where.”

On Jalen Brunson making a quick return after suffering a knee injury last weekend...

“You have nothing but respect for him because he does everything he can to get back. Two workouts a day, he’s on the floor. He’s pushing himself in practice. He gets there early, stays late. Goes through practice. Comes back at night, gets treatment. Works out again, then gets himself ready, doesn’t take any days off, and that’s why he can do the things he does.”

Jalen Brunson

On the matchup against the Magic having lost the three prior games before Friday...

“We knew that they’ve had our number.”

“Every win’s a big win no matter who it is. Clearly in the standings we’re right there with ‘em, but doesn’t matter who we’re playing, we gotta step up every game with the same mentality and the same mindset.”

On making his comeback after missing just one game (last Tuesday vs. Atlanta) with a knee bruise...

“I thought of a thousand different situations what it could have been, and I’m just glad it wasn’t.”

“Seven o’clock is when I found out I was playing.”

Josh Hart

On beating Orlando wire-to-wire and limiting them to a season-low 76 points...

“We were just really aggressive, on the ball, off the ball, rotations, we were just really in sync today. Very active in our shell. We did that and we were able to get out and run a little bit.”

On the tight seeding race brewing in the Eastern Conference...

“We know what’s at stake. We’re always locked into the scouting report, so I wouldn’t say [facing Orlando in particular] gave us more juice. But the focus level was there.”

On having Jalen Brunson back in the lineup and welcoming a few other players back soon...

“[He gave us] a big boost. We have guys that can fill the void, but it’s big to have him back.”

“To get a good win against a good team—especially when there’s some tough games coming up—hopefully, we’ll get guys back and get back to the regularly scheduled programming.”

Jamahl Mosley (Orlando Magic Head Coach)

On losing at the Garden and against the Knicks for the first time this season, and what to take from the loss...

“You got to give New York a ton of credit. They came out, were very physical. Not just their physicality, but their ability to make shots, get guys open...”

“That’s the atmosphere we’re going to have to get used to seeing. That’s great preparation for us moving forward. This is exactly what the playoffs will be like. No excuses about it.”