Knicks Bulletin: “Memo or not, it’s just how the game is being called.”

Day off on Wednesday for a skidding Knicks club as they gear up to face the Sacramento Kings on Thursday for what is a clash of teams sharing similar regular-season records through games played on April 3.

It’s been a rough one of late for New York, who will try to escape a disastrous streak of three consecutive losses in as many games played between last Friday and Tuesday.

Here are some quotes from coach Thibs and a few Knicks.

Tom Thibodeau

On not getting calls on plays that are fouls in his eyes...

“You can’t just go out there and whack people. Those are fouls.”

On navigating the season without a few banged-up players and with some starters ruled-out...

“You just gotta find ways to win games. Every team has different challenges.”

Isaiah Hartenstein

On avoiding fouling bigs in the zone...

“All I think about is Thibs saying ‘Verticality.’ He’s big on that, playing with verticality, playing with our chest but still being disruptive at the same time.”

Donte DiVincenzo

On the referees clearing calling fewer fouls of late...

“It’s playoff basketball. I think it’s just an early glimpse of playoff basketball. Whether they sent out a memo or not, it’s just how the game is being called.”

On having to adapt his approach to the game and how it’s called during the final games of the regular season and the playoffs...

“You can’t bait into getting fouls. I think over the last couple of years guys have gotten so good in their workouts and everything with drawing fouls and understanding how the game is being played and almost kind of, if you will, playing the system of knowing that certain calls are being called league-wide.”

On his thoughts about the new way games are called...

“It’s a fun way to play basketball, being able to defend, being physical without obviously blatant fouls being called. It’s so hard to stop guys at this level with their athleticism, with their speed, with their talent to draw fouls. I think it’s just been good.”

On the need of putting on a strong finish during the home stretch of the regular season...

“It’s huge. I referenced what [Miami center] Bam [Adebayo] said the other day, and it’s true. Everybody has something to lose. You look around the league, Milwaukee lost [Tuesday] to Washington. Everything becomes closer. So you can’t let up [in] games, where you know if you’re locked in and ready to go, this is a winnable game.”

On New York starting games slowly and that leading to their recent losses as the one in Miami...

“I think we just have to have a level of focus, execution, and urgency to start the game off. If you look at our losses, it’s usually we’re starting late and then getting back into it. So I think if we start off better on Thursday, we will right the ship.”

On Jalen Brunson carrying the Knicks and the rest of them having to do more to help him...

“Yes, when he’s shooting well, it’s easier. But when he’s not shooting well, he still makes the right play. We have enough on the team where Jalen can have an off-night shooting the ball, but he’s still gonna make the right play.”

“We have other guys that can put up numbers and score and hold that for a game or two. It’s just when you dig yourself a hole, it’s that much harder to get back out.”

Josh Hart

On the refs letting the game flow and calling fewer fouls during the second half of the season...

“For a defender like I am, I like to be physical, so I enjoy it. (I’m) battling with it a little bit, just because the change is a little drastic. Just going from pre-All-Star—obviously, it was on the far end of the spectrum, and now it’s kinda on the other far end of the spectrum.”

“Sometimes, it’s tough to try to figure out where they’re calling fouls and those kinds of things. Ideally, I like it. But I just gotta try to find out how exactly they’re calling it.”

On the final few games before the playoffs and keeping an eye on the standings...

“Just get to the finish line strong. That’s the biggest thing. Obviously, it’s a battle anywhere from the 3 seed to the eighth seed. Everyone in that realm is [within] three or four games.”

On attempting a low three field goals against Miami...

“[My] mental is good. Just gotta keep going physically, that’s another note. At this point, you just gotta try to fight through the fatigue, fight through the injuries. Everyone is feeling something, so you just can’t harp on that.”