Knicks Bulletin: “That’s our identity“

The Knicks shocked the world (kind of) on Sunday by beating the No. 2 seed Milwaukee Bucks for the second time in five matchups this season thus moving one single, measly, game behind the Deer in the Eastern Conference standings.

The win, paired with the Cavaliers' laughable loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on the same slate of games, has New York tied with Orlando and at an arm’s reach of landing the second-best seed entering the postseason.

Here’s what the protagonists of Sunday’s affair had to say before and after the game.

Tom Thibodeau

On Isaiah Hartenstein’s hustle diving-play against the Bucks to get possession and earn the Knicks two points...

“That was unbelievable. Those type of plays, they inspire; they unite.”

On Bojan Bogdanovic’s 15-point outing in 17 minutes off the bench...

“He can score the ball, so that’s huge for us.”

On keeping an eye on the standings as the season draws to an end...

“I have no idea what day it is. It’s the best time of the year.”

“If you love competition—and I think even the way everything is structured right now, I think the Play-In, the idea behind that, was really good. It’s made it fascinating down the stretch because you have to have a lot of different schools of thought and understand the intensity that’s involved in these games right now.“

“It’s across the board. You have teams that everyone is fighting for something right now.”

Josh Hart

On how he planned to defend Giannis Antetokounmpo on Sunday...

“Get your football pads out, put your helmet on. Brace for impact.”

On the action that got him ejected against the Bulls on Friday...

“Obviously I’m off balance. My leg is going up before I even look at him. But give credit to Scott Foster for thinking my athletic ability is so great that he can’t fathom that I was able to make that decision to kick him in a split second. Obviously sucks.”

“Being taken out of my control... Flagrant 1, I think it probably should’ve been, something that was accidental. But I’m not sure what he was thinking because he was later like, ‘Oh, intent doesn’t matter and yada, yada, yada.’ But then [Foster] told me I looked at [Javonte Green] and kicked him which obviously implies that I intended to.”

”I’m not sure what his thought process was, because it was kind of two different stories. So it is what it is.”

On the impact of the call against him in the game against the Bulls...

“That’s an interesting call, especially in the first quarter. Obviously, if it was third quarter, it’s been a chippy game, you’ve got to make an example, I understand it a little bit more. But especially this late in the season... bro. Every game matters. Making a call like that where obviously it’s not a purposeful act, it’s selfish.”

OG Anunoby

On coming back to play a bit before the playoffs...

“Yeah, I definitely wanted to play some games before the playoffs started. I never want to just miss games.”

On playing on a pitch count while ramping up his game...

“Yeah, there was a minutes restriction tonight. I don’t know how long it’ll be going on. [I’ll] just listen to medical.”

On taking more shots as he starts feeling more comfortable with his elbow...

“Kind of the same thing. Maybe less shooting. Building up the shooting, not just going back to shooting like I normally shoot. So just taking my time and it’s going to get better and better.”

On expecting his defense to come along sooner than his shooting...

“I think it’s all the same thing. The more minutes, the longer stints, it comes back naturally.”

Jalen Brunson

On beating the Bucks to get one game behind them for the No. 2 seed...

“It’s important, but we got to build off (the win). We haven’t been playing our best as of late. So this was definitely a big win for us, so we have to build off that.”

On his 37+ PPG average against the Bucks this season...

“I don’t know. The ball goes through the hoop against them. I’m averaging 37, but we’re 2-3 (against the Bucks). Before tonight, we were 1–3. So no matter what the points were, we weren’t getting wins.”

“Obviously, tonight we found a way to win the game. Their game plan was working for the first three of four games.”

On having OG back with the team on the floor once again (comments made on Friday)...

“I’m happy he’s back, happy he’s healthy. Obviously, we didn’t win so it clouds my judgment right now, but just happy he’s healthy and out there.”

Isaiah Hartenstein

On diving for a loose ball leading up to an easy Knicks bucket against the Bucks to start sealing the win...

“I just did what the team needed. Just putting your body on the line. That’s kind of how I play. I don’t really care if I kind of go out there with bruises. It’s whatever the team needs. At that moment, that was a big possession.”

On OG Anunoby’s positive impact on the Knicks game...

“He does a lot. He’s great defensively, can space the floor. Probably before he got hurt, he was the best defender in the NBA. So that brings a lot.”

Donte DiVincenzo

On I-Hart’s play and the fourth-quarter effort as a whole ending in victory...

“That’s our identity.”

Mitchell Robinson

On Hartenstain’s late-game hustle...

“S—t was great. That’s a game-winning play right there. That’s what it takes to win, you know what I mean? It was great. Seeing him on the ground like that... A big on the ground? That’s big time.”

Doc Rivers (Milwaukee Bucks Head Coach)

On Khris Middleton getting a tooth knocked out and visiting a dentist after the game...

“You just feel bad for him. The guy can’t catch a break.”

On Josh Hart¡s skill set and what he gives the Knicks...

“Hart—I don’t want to be corny—but he’s in some ways the heart of their team because of all the stuff he does.”

”He’s just funny. Hart’s had this career where he’s just been moving around and he looks like he’s found the perfect place for him. He almost matches the city.”

”When he plays well, that doesn’t mean scoring, that means four to five offensive rebounds, two to three charges, some scoring, [and] his defensive steals.”

On the Knicks outlook...

“The Knicks are a really good basketball team, and that’s hard to prepare for. You can’t do that at shootaround. You can’t work on energy in shootaround or toughness with the other guy in shootaround. You just have to prepare your team for it and be ready for it.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks Player)

On the Bucks ongoing skid...

“We’re not a losing team. We don’t have that mentality. That’s not in us. This is not what we do. We’ve got to be better.”