Knicks Bulletin: “I’d rather come off the bench. Maybe I can show more.”

Following Monday’s win over the Warriors at Golden State, the Knicks are 3-0 on their West Coast trip and just one game away from completing the sweep if they can earn another victory on Thursday when they visit the Nuggets in Denver.

New York had to fight the Dubs Dynasty without OG Anunboy as he entered the week tagged as “questionable” to play before getting ruled out of the contest entirely as he took a flight back to NYC to undergo a bunch of bonus MRI on his damaged elbow.

Here is what coach Tom Thibodeau and some Knicks players had to say after yesterday’s extraordinary affair.

Tom Thibodeau

On beating the Warriors on the road stringing four consecutive victories...

“This team has demonstrated all year there’s a lot of fight, a lot of heart, a lot of toughness and a lot of togetherness to the group. So there’s a belief that we can win. We always talk about our defense, our rebounding, taking care of the ball. I thought we shared the ball extremely well tonight.”

On Josh Hart’s triple-double outing against Golden State...

“You can’t say enough about the job Josh did as well. Josh’s toughness was huge for us in this game.”

On the decision to start Miles McBride over Precious Achiuwa...

“We wanted to add more shooting to the floor. That’s really, you know, why we did it. When they sent the second defender (at Brunson) now we have another 3-point shooter out there. We thought that would make a difference.”

On Precious Achiuwa getting ruled out for Monday’s matchup at Golden State and his status...

“You can’t work backward. There are many steps he had to go through. He met all the markers. He was cleared. This is a possibility. Whenever you come back from surgery, this is what you’re looking at. And so, we feel good about where he is. And just give him the time he needs.”

“We want to make sure that he’s completely healthy. We knew this was a possibility when you bring a guy back from surgery. If there’s discomfort and stuff and he can’t function the way that we feel he needs to function on the court we’re just going to give him the time that he needs to let it calm down and we’ll go from there.”

“Anytime you come back like he did, you go through a game, you could be fine. Then the next day you want to see how you feel the next day. That’s why oftentimes when a guy comes back we always say he went through practice, but we want to see how he feels tomorrow. Well, it’s the same thing. He’s coming off surgery, so he played in the game. There’s discomfort. So we’re just going to let it calm down and we’ll go from there.”

On if OG Anunoby will miss Thursday’s matchup at Denver...

“Most likely. He went back (to New York), and had an MRI that came back clean. So we feel good about that. And then it’s just managing it from there.”

Miles McBride

On when he was informed he was starting against Golden State on Monday...

“Earlier this morning. Coach came to me—he said he had a lot of confidence in me and just wanted me to go out there and play my game.“

On what he’s done to improve his shooting this year, and how has it happened...

“Man, all glory to God. Just believing in myself, continuing to shoot with confidence, and trusting in my work.“

On how he prepared to defend Steph Curry on Monday...

“A lot of film. Just understanding the routes he takes. Obviously, he doesn’t stop moving. He’s obviously the greatest shooter in history, so you know, just trying to do my best and continue to fight through screens, be physical, and do whatever I can to be disruptive.“

On what makes the New York Knicks such a great collective team even with many players out injured...

“Honestly, it starts with the top. Coach Thibs... he has great belief in all of his guys. He believes anybody in the room can step up and play well. So, it starts with the top, just the belief with the coaching staff, and then—you know, Jalen and everybody else being supportive.”

On what’s the key to maintaining the level of intensity and productivity heading to Denver...

“I think just continuing to be talking to each other, communicating offensively and defensively, understanding the reads we got to do, and just staying together.”

Jalen Brunson

On going against Draymond Green as his primary defender when facing the Warriors playing for Dallas two years ago...

“I just have to adjust to situations, just depending on who’s defending. You’re always going to have to adjust to what’s going on during a game—I don’t know.”

“It’s all about what’s going on and how you’re adjusting to it. Obviously having Draymond it was different. You have to adjust. For me it made me better. It made me understand what I had to work on to be better. One of those things that make you rethink what are you going to do to be better. You work harder.”

On his mantra...

“The magic is in the work.”

“It’s pretty funny—now it’s like second nature to the point where you hear it. It’s just ingrained in your mind. I get a lot of joy out of it. I don’t really say it to other people. I say it when I’m talking to the youth, talking about work ethic and stuff like that. But I don’t really need to say it. I just understand.”

On Kings head coach Mike Brown comparing him and putting him on Steph Curry’s level...

“It’s kind of like an honor to be thought of that way. I still have a long way to be where I want to be. And it’s great to hear but I can’t let it affect me any way, positive or negative.”

On the one-on-one play against Kings rookie Keon Ellis that went viral...

“I don’t feel bad, but it’s part of the age we’re in right now. We’re in the social media age when everything is heightened. But it was just one play. It doesn’t define what that game was. He was playing great defense all game.”

“I talked to him after the game. I said, ‘Yo, you competed, you played great and I have a lot of respect for you.’ That’s how I truly felt.”

Donte DiVincenzo

On how Jalen Brunson has evolved his game on a yearly basis...

“Higher volume, higher efficiency. As he’s progressed in the league, he’s gotten more touches, more good looks, more plays. And he’s been damn good at it as he progresses.”

On taking Steph Curry’s advice and signing with the New York Knicks on his way to getting a larger role...

“If you played with him, wouldn’t you want to? That’s pretty much as simple as it was. I had a relationship with him on and off the court. Obviously, I value his opinion.”

On the challenge of facing his former franchise in Golden State...

“You look at their roster, their lineup. They have [Jonathan] Kuminga. They have [Andrew] Wiggins. They have Draymond. They have Klay [Thompson]. Potentially all at the same time. So you have all those guys that can switch, guard multiple positions. So I think we just have to be ready for that.”

Mitchell Robinson

On his preferred role once he makes his comeback next month...

“I’d rather come off the bench. Maybe I can show more.”

Josh Hart

On trying to get Kyle Lowry to sign with the Knicks after he was bought out by the Charlotte Hornets...

“Yeah, I texted [Lowry]. I told him, ‘Pull up.’ Told him, ‘F—k with us.’ But obviously, that didn’t happen, so f—k him.”

Steve Kerr (Golden State Warriors Head Coach)

On the reasons behind the loss to the Knicks on Monday...

“We weren’t good enough. It’s that simple. We just did not play well enough. That’s a really good team and they just outplayed us, simple as that.”