POSTGAME REACTION: Orlando Magic at New York Knicks, 1/15/24

POSTGAME REACTION: Orlando Magic at New York Knicks, 1/15/24

I think just find a way I think when it’s all said and done you just have to find a way and the way they did it was defensively I mean hold that team 94 points uh guarding the right way down the stretch protecting the rim you know

Keeping them to 36 points in the paint and uh doing it you know a best job without doing it without fouling I mean we shot eight for 29 from three um we took care of the basketball uh I think they have to know that we have to know that that the defense

Travels and defense is what we’re going to continue to hang our hat on our toughness our resilience our continued fight no matter what’s happening within the game see he’s not afraid uh he’s he’s he wants the big moment obviously being in the garden is another one of those

Opportunities uh and his teammates trust him to take those shots knowing they’re big shots down the stretch uh finding a way to get it done that’s what this group is going to continue to do find a way well I thought he was good I thought he was very good talking to Mid game

Seeing where he was how he felt uh they they did a great job of just everybody that stepped in was willing to play their part and try to and do it the right way how much of a it’s big you know you saw what that that they did coming off the bench I

Thought it was a I think they put on a defensive clinic in a lot of ways there was protection at The Rim you saw Wendell and ji both going for blocks down the stretch getting big blocks down the stretch keeping them off of the glass I I thought they did a great job

Of setting the tone defensively uh and then being able to keep them off balance by being able to run after you get the defensive rebound marel and Joe played 20 minutes together then you’re able to get marel back on the final 237 so what went into that thought process what you

Make what he provided our assistant coaches did a great job of communicating what was happening down the stretch uh making sure you know that that the time that he was in there how he felt getting him out early and then being able to bring him back uh just the

Leadership and the Poise that both of those guys possess within a game uh I think it’s great for the group and that their ability to just keep things calm and know where the ball’s going to go you know when it’s when it down down the stretch Anthony black ended up not

Playing yeah it you know the the great part about this group and they’ve all understood this and they understand this it is going to continue to be by committee um you know there was different situations and different lineups whether Jaylen plays or doesn’t play goes into that factor uh but you

Got to this is a young man that’s going to and will stay ready no matter what the situation and it’s going to change from game to game but guys know that when their numbers called because we do this as a group they’ll be ready to go you’re talking about Jaylen Brunson

There obviously Jaylen Brunson yes right so that did have an impact on some of the factor yes and and mo also didn’t play yeah every game is going to and this is I I’ll say it probably 500 more times the the fact that this group is a

Bu committee group and we’re going to do it together guys when their number is called they will be ready to go and every night it’s going to change as you see those that started the game may not finish and those that you know come off the bench May finish but that’s what it

Is about to be a team everybody’s willing and wanting to accept their role and taking care of the game in order to get the win cuz that’s the most important piece with this it’s great to have bodies so kind Friday spoke to us about how for him throughout to step up and

Shot and this is why I say it over and this is why he’s an All-Star this is why he’s not afraid of big moments why he doesn’t allow the game on Friday to impact the game today you know you learn from it you move on you get better and

Then you take those same exact shots that you would have taken the other night but you step in with the same amount of confidence that’s what it takes to be resilient in this league and that’s the level of toughness that he possesses we’ve seen this team team

Continue continue to fight here for the last last weeks since you know probably two straight two of the last three games under 100 points I would even say the 112 total that he’s probably a pretty pretty strong number do you feel like this defense is starting to kind of get

Back back into its group I I think so I really do and then we talk about it in the locker room the defense is who we are that’s our identity and we have to hang our hats on that because again I’ll say we go eight for 29 from three you’re

Not hanging your hat on making shots you’re hanging your hat on getting stops to be able to get out and run we were great uh thought guys came in with a lot of you know Poise like you said and uh we’re able to you know lock in on both

Sides of the ball and um finish the game strong is the message to just hang your head on the defensive end because if you do that stay competitive enough even if shots aren falling you’ll have a chance to strike down theet yeah for sure you know that’s um

Definitely the message you know is just getting stops on the other end and um you know if we do that consistently then you know we’ll score um so yeah time and time again you hit clutch shots yourself in those late moments we talked last game about your mindset situations uh

What did you see in these particular moments you had those two yeah I think um just wanted to come in the game and you know close it out uh I had been sitting over there for a while and um I was ready to come in the

Game Jo said the end the day Miami you wanted to get you some help like you specifically cuz the usage you’ve had the last couple weeks for you know Joe and marel and almost the full bench obviously Gary and CR sh but how nice is

It to have that help and get those types of get the type of production from you know having healthy guys back yeah yeah it’s great to have those guys back um you know we’re a different team when they’re on the court and I think it showed today just with their veteran you

Know presence leadership I think kale came in did a great job closing um you know set me up on both those mid-ranges um so I give him a lot of credit you saw you saw to Friday Friday’s G you I would say down but disappointed

Dis in the result of that game but do it to kind of come back and have a big performance having a big kind of come back and then and get the wins uh feels great feels great you know you’re always feeling a little down when you take some

Losses so uh just happy we got the win happy for the team how special was this opportunity to play I’m okay uh great opportunity you know anytime you get to play on the holiday uh I think it’s a awesome opportunity um and uh you know getting to play in the

Garden you know as well is is also awesome opportunity the lift you guys got from Cole in the fourth quarter on a game when it wasn’t a lot of offense going yeah yeah I mean that’s what Cole that’s what he does instant offense in a

Hurry um you know he takes he takes and makes tough shots and we know that’s what he do so you know we expect that from him and you know he did it again tonight you’ve had some of the best individuals you the last few games J McDaniel do you feel like that

Experience going up against those guys is going to set you well uh yeah for sure I mean that’s probably what I’m going to face for the majority of my career so just getting reps against those guys is good and um figuring out ways to uh you know leverage their aggressiveness you know

In my favor I think is also something I’m trying to learn to do so uh just always look forward to accepting those challenges Trum played a larger role in the last few weeks what have you seen from him how has he helped you uh yeah he’s done a

Great job just on both sides offense and defense um you know he’s always bringing energy and you know now it’s just you know he’s starting to really play with confidence and that’s something that we really tell him you know with his size versatility you know he can shoot the

Ball uh you know we want him to be aggressive and you know take his shots hunt his shots and um he did a great job today kind of keeping us afloat in the first half you know hit some very timely shots so you know chuma has done a great

Job since he’s kind of stepped in the starting lineup we’re nearing the big point of of the season now obviously the playoffs are going cting Focus the next next couple games do you feel the gravity of a game like this one of the kind of teams you’re directly competing

Against for playoff positioning and how do you kind of approach that now as kind start stretch the SE yeah I think um just with how the standings look and everything you know every game counts and we know that as a team uh and yeah I

Mean a game like this with a team that we’re kind of you know battling it out with uh you know you want to win you want to get the edge you know in case of a tiebreaker later on or whatever so uh it’s good that we got this win and um

Yeah I think just having that you know one game at a time mentality is going to you know keep you know carrying us you know cuz like you said Midway point it’s easy to start getting tired or letting all the other factors um set in um just

With you know it starts to feel like a grind at this point so just staying sharp mentally as a team and taking it one game at a time I think is going to do us well we’re good thank you

The Orlando Magic defeated the New York Knicks on Monday. Hear from head coach Jamahl Mosley and Paolo Banchero on the win!