Knicks Bulletin: ‘Two words, that was the scouting report’

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Saturday off for the Knicks as they embarked on a home-bound trip back to New York after conquering Milwaukee on Friday.

Taking a plane today will be the opposition, with a club of hapless and hopeless (but still very young and promising!) Portlanders arriving in NYC to play basketball inside MSG.

Here’s what we’ve heard from Coach Thibs and a few other past-and-present Knickerbockers ahead of Sunday’s outing against the visiting Blazers.

On OG Anunoby’s performance on Friday:

“Super aggressive. And I think he’s doing it a lot of different ways, which I like.

“I think just the overall aggressiveness—10 free throws, 10 threes, attacking the rim but not hesitating on his open threes… People are flying at him, he’s reading closeouts well.

“He’s doing a lot of great things, and then defensively, he’s everywhere, he guards everybody. He’s unique, he’s special. I think when you have Mitch [Robinson] playing back there, he’s even more aggressive.”

On Anunoby’s fit when Jalen Brunson returns:

“Just (keep) attacking, (being) aggressive downhill. I think he’s gotta continue to do that.

“When we’re active defensively, we can get into the open floor, that’s usually where he excels.”

On the importance of Mitchell Robinson getting into rhythm before the playoffs:

“You get a rhythm. You have to build yourself up for what you have to do. The only way that comes is through work and conditioning and discipline and you have to have a mental toughness about it. The notion that you’re just going to wave the magic wand and be ready to go…

“I do think (getting into rhythm) makes a difference. You oftentimes hear it—offensively a guy gets into a rhythm, makes three or four shots. Well, I think the same thing holds true for rebounding. You get into a rhythm reacting to the ball.”

On Anunoby’s expanded role with JB out:

“OG’s just taking his game to another level and being aggressive and confident in what he does. When he’s playing like this, he’s a different OG Anunoby.

“We already know what he can do defensively. Just because of the circumstances, OG, we asked him to do more for our team, he’s been able to showcase more of his talent, and he has.”

On playing with more aggression:

“I try to play the right way and read the game.

“And also just trying to get fouled, get the team in the bonus, create fouls, being aggressive at all times.

On starting to use lower-dribble drives to draws contact:

“Just watching film, watching other great players. I played with a guy, DeMar, who does it a lot. Great players do it and get fouled.

“Just being aggressive. Go with force, not being soft with it.”

On the team’s need not to be over-relying on Brunson:

“When JB is back we don’t have to lean so much on him. Times when it’s the fourth quarter, end of the game, when you have your best player go to work, but we don’t have to have him get banged up and give him so much usage the first three quarters.

“That’s when we can allow OG to go out there and do his thing, Mikal to go out there and do his thing, and obviously we never want guys to be hurt, but those guys are getting a great rhythm now.”

On P.J. Tucker’s locker-room presence and the importance of keeping him around:

“He’s been great in terms of being vocal and talking to guys individually and doing those things.

“I think with him, and all of us struggle with finding the right time to address certain things and hold guys accountable. In the group setting, I think that’s something that everybody’s trying to figure out.”

On Thibs’ comments on the need to get into “rebounding rhythm”:

“Yeah, I feel like that. I definitely think that is true on my end.

“Once you get going and you get the first one, you see how shots are going—long, short, whatever—once you kind of get a pattern of it, there you go.”

On landing Jericho Sims from the Knicks and his impact on the team:

“He’s been fantastic for us. Big, athletic guy, runs the floor. He was defending, rebounding. He won some games for us with his presence. Definitely a welcome addition—a surprise how good he is.

“We’re forcing him to talk, because we’ve heard that [he’s quiet]. We made him give us the Knicks scouting report and he said it in two words. That was the scouting report.

“I won’t say what he said, but we told him it was a great job. We joke with him about it. He’s a naturally shy kid, he really is, but he’s been terrific. Really good guy around the team.”

On retirement:

“I don’t see retirement anytime soon. Obviously I’ve cut back on the road. But I still like to do the home games. Even after that, I’d like to be like [John] Starks, like [Patrick] Ewing, like L.J. [Larry Johnson], like Spree [Latrell Sprewell] — to be around, sort of an ambassador, talking to the fans, coming to the games. I still see that in my future.”

On the power of the MSG crowd:

“They could do it because once you get in the playoffs in New York, anything can happen with the fans. I can attest to that, my 36 and 19. So I know the level that the fans can get the players to. The fans can catapult them. If they’re healthy and they get in the playoffs and they perform, it could happen.”

On his playing style and jab at Josh Hart:

“Most think of me defensively, you know, where I value myself [for] my versatility I was like [Josh] Hart, but I could score. I was a jack of all trades, master of none when I first came in because I was a little discombobulated about when to pass, when to shoot, and once I got it all together I was one of the more versatile players to play the game.”

On the Knicks’ current title chances:

“I always say if we can stay healthy, I like our chances against anybody. Overall, I’m very optimistic, and hopefully the Knicks can get back to our former brand.”

On his idea for an NBA calendar change:

“65 to 68, Imma tell you when it gets wack. The first month of the season, you start getting real basketball. Last week in January? (Expletive) basketball. That’s the wack part of the season right there.

“If you lose, you like ‘Man we gotta get to the break,’ if you winning, you like ‘We gotta tighten up a little bit.’ That’s the wack part and now is the wack part of the season.

“Start the league on Christmas. Maybe take it further a little and go to a week or two in July. Fourth of July is a major holiday. Game 7 [of the NBA Finals], 4th of July, I’m saying it’s about moments now.

“The last 15 games, guys [are] done. It’s teams who are completely checked out by All-Star Weekend. To have teams travel and force them to play and now the guys who’ve been here, the veteran guys, the money guys, they ain’t playing.

“Now it’s a fine line between your stars playing, who’s really playing for something, versus a team with the stars’ not playing, putting guys out there that’s not ready to play against guys who’s ready to go for the playoffs.”

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Knicks Bulletin: ‘Two words, that was the scouting report’

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