Tom Thibodeau | New York Knicks Postgame Press Conference | January 9th, 2024

Tom Thibodeau | New York Knicks Postgame Press Conference | January 9th, 2024

You just you know continue to play hard each possession you know teams can come back and you always concerned so you’re striving to be a 48 minute team and uh you know a lot of good things we did for three quarters and then fourth quarter not as good as we should

Have like yeah it was great great just good Rhythm you know a very aggressive early I thought uh the defensive activity to start the game was real good uh get some turnovers got into the Open Floor then I thought our guys did a really good job of attacking the zone you know getting

Into the gaps and then making plays for each other so they created advantages and they shared the ball and then I thought we we were tied together defensively so the rebounding was good um you know we got carolers at you know at the end of the half and then in the

Fourth quarter with the turnovers is well the challenge is like when you know you bring someone in new you know how quickly can everyone adapt and I think in both cases we were playing well before the trades were made so I think that helps too and then everyone’s

Willingness to sacrifice and share with each other so uh each day it doesn’t change the approach just focus on trying to uh get better each and every day put everything you have into each day don’t change that so we know it’s over the course of a season that we the goal is

To be playing our best at the end so there’s still a lot of things that we have to correct and do better no it’s it’s going to be you know each day he’s more comfortable I think he’s putting a lot of time in he’s a great worker very serious in his

Approach uh come comes back at night comes early to watch film you know uh he’s done a really good job so and we’ve got a number of guys that are like that so when you get a team that is committed to playing for each other and committed

To uh winning and putting the team first good things come from that was you saying he feels like watching you guys the last four or five games it feels like you’re playing faster no matter what the stats say um that would obviously be his since the trade is that

True and is it a conscious thing no not really I I think it’s part part true like from the stpoint of you know like we we’ve always stress that like people don’t realize you know they sometimes say you know like go you play Slow no we

Don’t look at if you look at the numbers you would know that you know coach I mean just looking forward you got Kyrie typ challeng well I think you you know you’re talking about you know two great players you know um both are great off the dribble and then great with their

Shot and then very unselfish and know know how to make plays for for for their team and they don’t fight the double team like so if you double them they they’re going to be Crea with how they get the ball out um so that puts a lot

Of pressure on you U so we’re going to have to be at our best what stands out from that game that you played in Dallas last year guys 60 and they came back guys over yeah probably you know we had everyone out in that game and it came down to I remember

Duce played really well in that game Jericho played really well in that game uh and and basically it was a free throw rebound at the end of the game and I think that we had some calls go against us late that were incorrect so that I remember it vividly is that type’s

Defensive well you know it’s it’s going to help but it it’s going to be require more than just that you know it’s got to be our entire team committed to it Tom can you talk about the defense of the entire team even the five games since

He’s joined I not just him but I think it’s the third time you had 100 points or l and uh my opponent SE yeah you know and sometimes like I said you know you have to look at we started off the season playing great defense and then sometimes it’s what

You’re walking into if you’re walking into high-scoring teams your goal is to you know obviously to play great defense but to hold hold them below their average and that’s what what I measure so and you you don’t have it you can have a stretch you can take a snipp it

Out of a season and you can make it say whatever you would like it to say the the challenge is to do it consistently from the start to the end and keep focused on improving and so that’s where we are so this is a good stretch but

There’s still there’s a lot of things that sometimes it’s a Miss shot that’s you know wide open too so there’s there’s a variance to the shot making but I think I the spirit of the team is really strong right now and the togetherness the commitment to each

Other is very strong and we got to keep it there Al you know the fans here obviously and and to hear them chant OG’s name like that is that a big deal for a player the first time it happens well you know I and you know how I feel

About our Arena it’s it’s the best and it I felt that way when I was here as an assistant as an opposing coach I know how excited and fired up the players are to play here and and to be on our side and to see how our fans travel with us

And the atmosphere of the building I think you can’t do anything but really enjoy that particularly for a guy like you know OG to be in to come in and have the impact you know he’s like just learning and getting started and he’s had great impact from the standpoint of

I always say this you like there’s a million stats to me the the most important stat is net rating and the impact that he’s had there and when you look at his net rating per 48 it’s off the charts and that’s playing well because it’s not only you it’s what

You’re doing with the group that you’re on the floor with and that’s the most important thing there is and so you know he he’s made great contributions you know and not just on with defense but moving without the ball getting the ball up the floor fast uh you know his shot

Making um and it’s only going to get better as we go thanks y thanks yeah

Coach Thibodeau addresses the media after Knicks’ win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

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