Knicks Bulletin: “Bro, I don’t even know. I was good at the beginning.”

The Knicks enjoyed a rare day off on Monday coming off a comeback-win against Milwaukee on Sunday and right before facing the Bulls for the second time in five days later today.

New York can still finish the regular season anywhere from No. 2 through No. 8 in the Eastern Conference, meaning they can be primed for a relatively easy run toward the Conference Finals against Boston... or in for a tough postseason run that might include having to navigate the Play-In portion of it.

Here is what we’ve heard from some Knicks in the last few hours.

Tom Thibodeau

On the big-man rotation play against the Bucks...

“I thought Mitch was a monster. I thought Isaiah played great out of the pocket. We got great center play today.”

On keeping track of the standings during the home stretch of the season...

“Yeah, it’s your business. I think you need to know exactly where we are, what’s going on, but also to make sure that you’re just focused on today. And so you understand what goes into each and every day, put everything you have into it, and then tomorrow is tomorrow. Then you deal with that then.”

On Jalen Brunson’s exploits and his MVP worthiness...

“The thing is, he’s scored big all season. He’s gonna be loaded up on. They’re gonna be blitzing him. They’re gonna be firing at him. And then more often than not, he’s got a primary defender on him, usually a guy with size. But he’s shifty. He knows how to create space. And our guys do a good job of trying to get him open and getting him a second look into the open floor downhill into space — and that’s where he’s impossible to guard.”

Jalen Brunson

On ranking fifth in ESPN’s last poll for the MVP award...

“Means nothing to me.”

On his and the Knicks’ mindset entering the final four games of the season...

“We focus on where we are and controlling what we can control. Obviously, we know where we are, but we just got to control what we can control and go from there.”

On having improved his dishing and diming this year...

“Reading and reacting. Obviously understanding what they’re trying to do and putting people in position to be successful. And I know I have a lot of guys on this team that can make plays in the middle of the floor. So if they put two on the ball, I know I can get off it and they can make a play. If I relocate and the defense shades to my side, I know whoever has the ball will make the right play.”

Mitchell Robinson

On feeling more like himself on the defensive end since coming back...

“A little bit, a little bit. Just gotta still, now it’s just trusting my foot to be square instead of having it open so dudes just drive by. So once I get that I’ll be OK.”

On why he’s not grabbing as many offensive rebounds of late...

“Bro, I don’t even know. I cannot even tell you. I was good at the beginning. I was out four months. Just I don’t know. I don’t know. I just gotta figure it out and I’m figuring it out while I’m playing.”

On how he approaches pulling down boards...

“Usually I know how to time exactly where the ball will go. Right now it’s just all over the place. Like I’ll get my hand there, I’ll get it, and then it goes way over there to somewhere. I’m like s–t. I’ve just got to figure it out.”

On when he knew he was ready to return...

“I’ve just been trusting what the doctors have been saying. They said it was good.”

On fearing falling down injured again and “haters” waiting for him to re-injure some part of his body...

“Obviously no one wants this to happen again. I damn sure don’t. Probably other people would, but not me.”

“I don’t know (who’d like to see me getting injured). People. Haters. But seriously, it’s something I’ve gotta get back used to again.”

On his expectations for the tandem with Hartenstein to dominate the paint...

“[We’re] Both making hustle plays, stuff like that. It’s getting there. I’ve just gotta get my timing right.”

On his conditioning after returning after missing 50 games...

“Low as s–t.”

On Brunson’s talents...

“I see him play like that all the time. It’s great. It gives us a chance to win.”

Donte DiVincenzo

On Jalen Brunson’s excellence amid an MVP-worth season...

“He’s f——g nice!”

”I don’t think it’s just the matchup against the Bucks. He’s been doing it all year. He just had 35 two straight games in a row, so that’s kind of my answer: He does it against everybody.”

“He’s making the right plays. He’s making the right reads, and when he’s aggressive, everybody else goes along with him.”

Isaiah Hartenstein

On Brunson’s MVP-type season...

“He’s cold, too. That’s definitely a big part.”