Merry Christmas, Posters & Toasters!
The Knicks play today, as is their wont, and they will do so aiming at rebounding against no less than the wannabe Cavaliers.
Here’s a very exotic mix of words uttered in the past few hours.
On conditioning and stamina:
“There’s nothing like game shape. And I think just playing and playing, eventually you just get more stamina. Just each game, you keep getting better. I know you get a little tired and stuff. The lungs, I feel like I got pretty good stamina, but sometimes the legs, it takes some time. Running up and down, the legs start to get a little fatigued more.”
On leading the league in distance traveled:
“Yeah, I be running.”
“I think it’s just timing, knowing when a guy’s about to pass and kinda getting your feet right. But I’ve been doing this since college, the kind of stuff we’ve been working on here, and I’ve always been big on running in transition, knowing when to get the one-two feet down and rhythm up into the shot.”
On playmaking in transition:
“I think being able to shoot it off the catch or off the run and being able to put it down and try to play-make, and I think my teammates are playing the right way and finding everybody, including myself. I think we’ve got a lot of good basketball players that make the right read out in transition.”
On holding Bible study sessions:
”A lot of times, people read the Bible, and it’s like all these old words and they’re like, ‘I’m not reading that.’ So I try to make it simple so people can stay engaged.
“When you go to God about something and you put him first, like, it’s crazy the things you can really do.”
“It’s just priceless. It’s not an NBA game, not a dollar amount you can give to match the value of hearing somebody say, ‘Hey you helped me get through a situation.’ That’s a blessing for me.”
On his improvement this season:
”Their belief in me, and they’re breaking down small, small details, has switched it up completely.
“They have a growth path for me. They don’t just ignore you because you’re on a two-way contract. They want me to get better and grow my game so when my name is called, I can help the Knicks be the best team they can possibly be.”
On the game slowing down for him:
“Now in games, it’s super slow for me. I see the cut before it happens. Now I understand, if I gotta screen this man, make this next pass, I know where to put it before he even cuts.”
On his steady growth as a pro:
“My game is growing. From my position coaches, to all my G League coaches, they are buying in and helping me set a higher standard for myself and it’s been great. I love coming to work every day.”
“I’d much rather be home with my family. But it’s the game. It’s the game I love. It’s a game I watched when I was a kid on Christmas Day, watching a lot of the greatest play the game on Christmas, it’s always been an honor to play it. Obviously, I’m gonna be completely honest, I would like to be home on the couch with my family all throughout the day. But my number is called, our number is called, we have to go out and perform, and I look forward to it.”
On crafting his own identity:
“When they talk about me, I just want them to talk about my development and how I keep getting better. And how I could rise to the top.”
On learning from pops Melo:
“I learned almost everything from him, so it just makes the game so much easier. It just makes it easier knowing what to do.”
On dealing with pressure:
“I feel like throughout this process, you could feel like you’re alone. You feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and there is nobody behind you. But then having friends like that, that are going through the same thing that I’m going through, somebody like Bronny. He is way ahead of me and already in the NBA and going through way worse, so it always could be worse. I feel like pressure is just an opportunity for success.”
On the Knicks’ title chances:
“I honestly believe that the Knicks have a legit shot at the NBA Championship. At least getting there, and then they’ll have to compete, I think, with OKC. But what we’re seeing with the Knicks, man, they’re building and growing, they’re getting more comfortable with each other.”