![\"Tracy](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/user-expressly-acknowledges-agrees-downloading-124690111.jpg\")
Tracy McGrady poses for a photo before the game between the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 29, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\nTracy McGrady sits down with The Post\u2019s Steve Serby for some Q&A ahead of the Knicks-Hawks playoff series:<\/p>\n
Q: What is the key for the Knicks to reach the NBA Finals?<\/p>\n
A: It starts on the defensive end. When they\u2019re locked in and talking, they\u2019re a different team. I\u2019ve seen them have stretches where they look like a top five defense in the league, and that\u2019s what it\u2019s going to take. Good defense turns into better offense for this team. Offensively, they\u2019ve got enough. It\u2019s really just about balance. When Mikal [Bridges] gets going, it opens everything up because now you\u2019ve got a few guys that can give you 20 any night. I like when they\u2019ve got size on the floor too. [Karl-Anthony] Towns can space it, Mitch [Robinson] handles the paint, that\u2019s tough to deal with.<\/p>\n
Q: What would give you the most concern about the Knicks?<\/p>\n
A: Consistency. Can the core five earn their minutes? You can\u2019t come out slow in the playoffs. You get down early, now you\u2019re chasing the game, and good teams don\u2019t let you climb back. And defensively, teams are going to test you \u2014 they\u2019re going to go at you and see where you\u2019re vulnerable. If you\u2019re not locked in, that\u2019s where you can get exposed.<\/p>\n
Tracy McGrady poses for a photo before the game between the New York Knicks and the Oklahoma City Thunder on March 29, 2026 at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n
Q: What do the Knicks need from KAT to reach the Finals?<\/p>\n
A: They need discipline and presence from him in every possession. He\u2019s too skilled to fade in and out of games. I want to see him be aggressive, not just shooting 3s, but putting pressure on the rim, making defenses react. And defensively, just be solid. Contest, rebound, and don\u2019t put your team in tough spots with fouls.<\/p>\n
Q: What would your advice to him be? Where is his confidence at?<\/p>\n
A: For me, it\u2019s about composure. The playoffs test your focus more than anything. Don\u2019t force the game, don\u2019t get caught up in emotions. Just stay locked in possession by possession. If he does that, his talent is going to show.<\/p>\n
![\"Brandon](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/toronto-raptors-forward-brandon-ingram-125407314_4cd40c.jpg\")
Brandon Ingram puts up a shot as New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges defends during the third quarter in a game against the Toronto Raptors at Madison Square Garden on Friday, April 10, 2026. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST<\/p>\n
Q: What did you think of Mike Brown replacing Tom Thibodeau and Brown\u2019s coaching influence this season on the Knicks?<\/p>\n
A: It\u2019s tough replacing a coach like Thibs, he\u2019s established, and players respect him. I think Mike has done a solid job. He\u2019s defensive-minded, and I like that he wasn\u2019t afraid to use his bench and find pieces during the season. But the real evaluation is now. In the playoffs, it\u2019s about adjustments, rotations, and how your team responds when things get tough. This is the real test.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\tWhat\u2019s happening on and off the Garden court\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSign up for Inside the Knicks by Stefan Bondy, a weekly exclusive on Sports+.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\tThank you\n\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Q: Who can be an X Factor for the Knicks?<\/p>\n
A: Mitchell Robinson stands out. When he\u2019s healthy and active, he impacts the game in ways you can\u2019t teach: rim protection, offensive boards, extra possessions. But I also look at OG [Anunoby] and Bridges. OG can guard anybody on the floor, and if he\u2019s making shots, he can get dangerous. Mikal, same thing, when he\u2019s aggressive, he raises their ceiling.<\/p>\n
Q: What do the Knicks need from Jalen Brunson to get to the finals?<\/p>\n
A: They need him to control the game and be their leader. He\u2019s proven he can deliver in big moments. Late in games, there\u2019s going to be possessions where it\u2019s on him to go get a bucket. But what takes them to another level is his playmaking. If he\u2019s scoring AND getting others involved, now you\u2019re dealing with a complete offense. If Brunson is dictating tempo and making the right reads, they\u2019ve got a real shot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Tracy McGrady sits down with The Post\u2019s Steve Serby for some Q&A ahead of the Knicks-Hawks playoff series:…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":712840,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3768],"tags":[208,7,304,6,11,56381,1136,191,3810,3806,6078,66],"class_list":{"0":"post-712839","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-new-york-knicks","8":"tag-atlanta-hawks","9":"tag-basketball","10":"tag-knicks","11":"tag-nba","12":"tag-nba-playoffs","13":"tag-nba-playoffs-2026","14":"tag-new-york","15":"tag-new-york-knicks","16":"tag-newyork","17":"tag-newyorkknicks","18":"tag-serbys-qa","19":"tag-sports"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116423033026012439","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712839","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=712839"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/712839\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/712840"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=712839"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=712839"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=712839"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}