POSTGAME SOUND: KNICKS VS. MAGIC | COACH MOSE, PAOLO BANCHERO JALEN SUGGS & FRANZ WAGNER

POSTGAME SOUND: KNICKS VS. MAGIC | COACH MOSE, PAOLO BANCHERO JALEN SUGGS & FRANZ WAGNER

Coach obviously a talented team across the way how pleased were you with your group’s ability to withstand their run and come up and attack with purpose down the stretch it’s continued growth of a of a great group you know they they’ve learned how to handle different situations and that’s a great part about

Being in these situations beforehand so these guys talked about in the Huddle they came in with poise communicated to each other we’ve been here before and they understand what to ex and when to do it those are the things that we work on in practice so they understand these

Big games they’ve got to be ready to go how important was it to get a win like this behind France Ando scoring a ton of points for you guys before heading out on the four game Road Trip well you said it before the game like how big is it to

To get a win before you head out west it’s big and our crowd was incredible you know you you hear chance of Defense I don’t know last time I’ve heard that in a long time but it’s big time uh the way that they energize this group uh

They energize the Arena and I thought it was fantastic for our guys to go out west with this you know with this under our belt coach you mentioned uh being in these situations before and learning from them but what does it say about Paulo and France both making Play Making

Plays for others and and having the Poise to kind of have the ball in their hands to to close this game out as that run was happening well probably the cliche line is they play the right way but they play the right way they make the play that’s necessary to be made

Like that last down the stretch when we go middle pick and roll they show and attack Pao makes the pass to jayen jayen makes the night knockdown shot and then we have the defensive possessions down the stretch so they’re making the right Play Because it’s what the game is

Telling you and that’s when we’re really good when we’re just taking what the game gives us when did the team learn that when Del Carter wasn’t able to go tonight when did that going through his his early warm-up uh you know that that knee flared up so it’s just that knee

Tendonitis coach can you just talk about Anthony black and his defense tonight primarily on Jaylen Brunson forcing him to uh go 415 from the field tonight special he’s a special individual who knows he who loves to sit down and play defense and guard the right way you know

I think he did a heck of a job on Jaylen Brunson Jaylen Suggs did a great job on Jaylen Brunson but the other thing is it was a team effort you know it we changed up the looks um made it tough dur all throughout the night again so it’s a

Team effort but you know AB did a heck of a job initially obviously every player is different and how they recover and deal with things but you know marel had 10 n has missed quite quite bit of time is there a concern that when Del could miss time how will you guys

Evaluate this we’re just going to monitor that dayto day like we’ve talked about with each guy that has missed time we’ve got to see how they respond to different things and guys being out for quite a long period of time to throw them back in the fold we have to be

Smart and listen to what obviously our medical team is telling us what their bodies are telling us we’ve got to be attentive to that so that’s the the way in which we look at it and what did you make a Go Go performance obviously he’s started in this spot before you know 20

Games for Wendell for a different injury but what did you make of his performance I thought Goa was fantastic I thought he stepped right in ready to go prepared for the moment and what we’ve asked him to do I think someone asked me before

The game what do we expect out of Goa in whatever minutes he plays and that’s it he’s got to be a defensive rebounder uh guard the pick and roll the right way you know protect at the rim and make decisions he was making great plays down the

Stretch um Jal in the last game uh that you could see that the boys were kind of hanging their heads at the end of the game um they didn’t have a good fourth quarter how does that that confidence EB and flow in this the team which is still

Young even though it’s had a lot of experience it’s part of the NBA it’s part of um a a young group of guys a young men learning how to handle the ups and downs of the NBA and one thing we constantly talk about is how do you

Handle success and how do you handle the adversity and the way in which we go about it we’ve talked about what our identity is it’s we we have to defend we have to make sure we detail our work we have to stay together no matter what cuz

We’re going to continue to work whether we win or lose and then you saw there was a sense of joy that these guys played with and that’s the one thing that they have to continue to remember to be themselves like they have to have fun playing the game of basketball cuz

That’s what it is despite shooting just two of seven from behind the arc for jayen sugs he played a really good offensive game tonight hit a lot of big shots down the streets is really poised when getting to his shot now what have you just seen from his offensive

Maturity this season so far and just how much more confidence he’s showing out there on the court well it goes to the work that he puts in uh it goes into the belief and trust that these guys have in him in his confidence and what he’s

Capable of doing so he put in a a great summer uh he the game slowing down for him in so many ways so I think just being able to be confident in everything that he does and the guys having confidence in him Coach starters combined for 99 points tonight what do

You think it was that uh gave them the success that they had the same thing we’ve said from training camp trust and confidence in one another this is a a a team that’s going to always do it by committee because they trust and they have confidence in one another they know

That defensively we have to sit down and guard and if you sit down and guard the right way then there’s open fast break opportunities for everybody to get whatever looks they need and trust that the pass is going to find you kind of piggyback off of that that this fiveman

Lineup with Goa at the center spot has you know developed a lot of chemistry over the past couple weeks and with even when Wendell does come back eventually do you want to maybe try to get more minutes for this specific five even if they aren’t the starting five the great

Part about this unit and this group is that we’re going to find the right thing and the right chemistry at the right time whatever game we play in what ways has the game slowed down for Jaylen well you see when he comes over at some of the timeouts there’s

Conversations about what he’s seeing and recognizing hey they’re playing Paulo like this if I come set this screen then I’ll be open here or you know what they’re doing this on the backside he’s registering and recognizing what’s happening in the game and for a young

Player to re realize it real time says a lot so as he’s making moves he’s registering where the help’s coming from uh he understands who’s going to be open and I think that’s a that’s those are great signs of growth that you can slow

The game down real time to a be and be able to uh communicate exactly what that is thank you thank you guys appreciate it Pao obviously a talented group over there what did you like about your team’s ability to withstand their their run late and attack the rack with

Purpose and come out with a victory uh yeah you know like you said a lot of good guys over there and you know with a team like that you you know that they’re going to make at least some sort of run at the end so you just want to be

Able to withstand it and close the game out and so that was just the constant communication in the Huddle you know letting each other know that you know we’re fine don’t don’t stress stay aggressive and uh finish the game obviously Wendell was ruled out early before the game you know other

Players in the roster Jonathan Joe Gary all were also out did you know that you and France had to put together this type of performance for a win or what was your mindset going into this game and when did you realize that you know you

Guys are going to have to combine for a lot of points to win um uh I think just coming in you know me and France is always coming in with an aggressive mindset uh obviously with guys being out you know it’s more of a load on us and the rest

Of the guys um I give a lot of credit to Goga J sugs Cole AB they all stepped up tremendously along with the other guys Caleb uh Mo Chum all the guys that stepped in and played you know did a great job in their time and um yeah I

Mean when you got guys down it’s the next man up you know that’s what we’ve been doing all year and uh you know yeah I think you know everybody wanted to step up how important was this type of win before going out on a four game Road

Trip on the West Coast uh it was pretty important uh you know I said today at shooter around that this is going to be like a playoff game if you look at the standings you know we us and New York are right there and uh you know I’m sure

That was a game that they wanted to win and um you know we wanted to win like you said going to the West Coast you want to uh have some momentum so um proud of how we played and hopefully we can take it to the

West the way the way the the way the game ended obviously New York made made that run and you had to make some plays down the stretch what does it say where do you feel your poises at the end of the game especially just kind of trusting your teammates to to make those

Plays when when you draw the attention that you draw yeah I just I like staying under control uh I feel like that’s when I’m at my best you know in situations late in the game I think the biggest thing is just finding the right matchups cuz the game really slows down you know

Transition kind of gets Limited in the fourth quarter so um that was something that me and France really uh you know we’re just all in constant um communication with each other along with Mo just trying to find the right matchup that we like and um make a play whether

It’s a shot or a pass and um yeah I was I was uh I thought we did a good job you describe how your night was defending Julius Randall tough tough night uh that’s a that’s a good good uh I don’t want to cuss that’s a good player um you

Know he’s a freight train and then at the same time he can make tough tough shots so uh it was a great challenge but I wanted to accept the challenge um you know I did a great job holding the 38 points uh so uh but no he’s a great player and

Uh him and Brunson you know they’re going to they’re going to give you you know a run for your money every time so uh it’s always great competing against them guys Pao the the crowd at Kia center tonight was the the largest in team history just how much have you felt the

The momentum of the city continue to to grow behind you guys yeah uh yeah you know it’s just you know as we grow I think the rest of the you know the fans the city grows I think just with the support and the love for

The team um it was a lot of New York fans in there tonight I can’t lie uh you know I went to the free throw line and I thought they were cheering for me but it was really the New York fans booing me so uh you know got to give credit to

Their fan base as well for showing up like that but I think the magic you know our fans have done a great job all year and I think it’s just going to get better and so um I’m excited for what’s to come getting back to talking about

Julius rold despite him scoring those 38 points you did a great job on him tonight offensively speaking getting by him on a couple blowb hitting a couple pull-up jumpers over him how much do you look forward to those kind of matchups with guys that have been all NBA type of

Talents yeah I I love those matchups I told him after the game like you know respect I told him I love playing against them just cuz it’s a it’s a challenge you know I got to it brings the best out of me um you know anytime

You get a match up with a guy like that who’s been an Allstar all NBA uh you know me being a young player who want to prove himself you know you got to you got to be on your A game so um I’m glad we got the win can you talk about the

Job that your teammates did and and yourself on Jaylen Brunson tonight and really what it was that maybe caused him to have the inefficient night that he had yeah uh that’s that’s a guy who you know that’s the head of the snake for them uh you know if you want to have a

Chance at winning against the Knicks you got to slow him down and so that was a huge part of the game plan you know with our guards being able to stay in front and just make it tough on them obviously I played with Jaylen uh this summer and

So I just got to see up close you know the work he puts in and you know just how how much of a a just a basketball just junky he is you know his dad played his dad is a coach you know so he was

Born in it um and he’s just a tremendous player tremendous leader and so you know you want to do whatever you can to to slow him down obviously um you know he had 20 points but which is which is still solid but it’s a slow night for

Him so uh I think we did a good job J but yes Jaylen obviously a talented group over there what did you like about your team’s ability to kind of withstand their run late you know attack the rim with with purpose and come out with a

Victory down the Str I thought we did a great job in staying Poise um you know with standing their run staying together um and continuing to trust the process of things um again in pass you know we kind of would have fallen apart you know especially there at the end you know

When they started to get Buckets and it got close um but I think that’s when we were most confident honestly um you know I don’t think there was a moment any any of us thought we were going to lose tonight um you know and that speaks on

Our growth so um yeah tough they’re a tough team but I think we did a great job staying together and all the way down the line everyone came in and impacted and uh I mean you can’t ask for anything more than a great team win like that Jaylen that second quarter was the

Game changer at that point 29 to 15 in that quarter can you just speak to really what made that quarter go y’all’s way defense uh really locking in on that end um we wanted to get back to being Elite um you know on that side of the

Ball and I think everyone took on the challenge I think go did a great job being in the pain protecting us you know allowing us to kind of pressure and uh and kind of funnel everything to him you know and he made tough shot at The Rim

Uh shots tough at the rim and then uh yeah I think but all the way down the line everyone play great defense you know AB came in and stepped up for me while I was in foul trouble um you know because I was a bit loose um and

Undisciplined so I think a lot of the credit credit goes to him France did a great job as well as P um in that second quarter and U yeah to Total group efforts are really fun to be a part of and uh it was one of those tonight PO

Said that he’s I think I guess today during shoot around or sometime today that he said it would be like a playoff game considering the standings considering the teams did that feel was there intensity to this game that was different tonight oh it was dope um I

Mean it’s said lwha Friday uh we knew there was going to be a bunch of New York Knicks fans in the in the building um you know and this is our last home game you know of the 2023 um so you know of course everyone going to be a bit you

Know excited going to be a bit Rowdy um you know we were embracing that um you know love being a part of games like that so yeah I think you had all those things together uh it was a great basketball environment you can’t ask for anything more as a competitor and yeah a

Lot of fun Jaylen uh going down the stretch you you’ve been in these situations before uh as as a group what was the what were the conver ations like and and where where has the PO come from to kind of close these close these games out and

And make kind of the big plays that that you guys that you all made down the stretch uh continuing to stay together um we’re we just have a team full of great people and you know you you trust the man to make the right play um and

The ball was popping today and and everyone was touching it it was it was we put uh we put the Knicks in Chase situations um and it led to good things and I you know think for me just getting back to you know my mental side working

On my spiritual things um you know and having complete trust and faith in God um you know and in my work and I think all that all that show tonight um you know not only for myself but you know for the boys you know AB BG uh P great

Plays down the stretch um you know really poised you know and keeping us all together um coaches were all poised and uh you know I just think it was a night of of great growth for all of us coach talked about it after the game talking about your offensive growth the

Work that you’ve put in this offseason as the season has rest how have you seen the game slow down for yourself not just on the perimeter with your improved shooting but really getting to the second and third level and just continuing to it have that kind of

Confidence um there watching a lot of basketball um you know I think that’s a big difference I watch a lot of more hoop not only our games but just every every night NBA games you know I’m tuned in um you know and I watch a lot of this

Dude right here to be honest and I sat in their film session today and um you know watching you know his clips from last game and you know just the Poise the patience uh the manipulation that he uses with his feet with the ball with

His eyes um you know and I try to apply a lot of that I think that’s a great part about having you know great players and great people you know in this organization as you can just learn from all of them and take bits and pieces and

Add them to you know to your own game so you know a lot of credit goes to those guys you know they they’re continuing to make me better each say Fran’s obviously a talented group over there what what do you like about your group’s ability to withstand their run attack the rim with

Purpose and come out with a victory down the stretch yeah I think uh we’ve gotten a lot better at that the this these last couple games um we play against really good players really good team so they’re going to make runs and it’s not going to

Be a perfect game and um I think in previous previous games to the season you know we we kind of compound our mistakes and um dig oursel a big hole and uh I think these last couple games we we’ve been doing a pretty good job of you know just staying with it um

Acknowledging that we’re not going to play a perfect game and then bounceing back after a timeout FR season H highp for you tonight 32 how does that give you confidence going into this road trip coming up with Kevin Durant on Sunday uh yeah just important important

Part of the season I think for us so make sure we have a good road trip and just just keep working on the stuff that we’ve been doing as a group um yeah just try to make the next steps um yeah we’re we’re more focused on the process more

Than anything else so um hopefully we can take some steps forward as a group what is that uh fron um you talked about talked about the Poise that you guys had at at the at the end of games where do you feel the most growth happening as you

Guys try to try to close these game games out and it really seemed like you guys you know you you and Pao had the ball in your hands you guys were kind of doing some two-man actions but it really felt like you trusted anyone to take

That shot if the defense collaps on you guys yeah I think everybody that’s out there uh is out there for a reason and we need everybody to make plays and uh I think with a player like Paulo um you know at the end of the game it’s really

Easy to to find something that you like you always have a mismatch out there and uh that’s pretty much all we’re doing I think and uh everybody else just has to play off with that I think and um I think what we got better at the most I

Think is just that Poise that communication when stuff isn’t going our way um you know that we stay together as a group and um yeah don’t get too too down too quickly on ourselves yeah everyone good thank you nice thanks guys happy year happy New Year

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