New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson addressed the media on Thursday, May 28, as the team waits for its NBA Finals opponent following the Eastern Conference sweep of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
“Yeah, we’ve got to prepare for both,” Brunson said when asked whether the Knicks are game-planning for both potential Finals opponents. “Obviously you want to focus on being ready as a team, but you got to prepare for both and just understand the differences between the two.”
He noted the level of competition remaining in the Western Conference. “You have two really good teams going at it right now,” he said, referring to the ongoing series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.
Brunson also addressed the impact of the layoff between series and the need for a strong start in Game 1. “Yeah, I think obviously just being ready to go by the time Game 1 hits,” he said. “Just being mentally and physically locked in. I think that’s really important for us and that’s what we have to focus on these next couple days.”
He compared the current situation to earlier playoff breaks. “Just comparing our situation from last time. Just being mentally and physically locked in,” Brunson added.
On preparation adjustments, he emphasized adaptability within the Knicks’ system. “We’ve always had different ways to approach things. It’s just what’s the frequency of what we’re running at the time,” he said. “Being able to adjust during the playoffs is not that easy, but it’s definitely something that we’ve practiced.”
Brunson also discussed focus away from external attention, including social media. “I guess I’ve been off social media. I may post one thing and then just go back to deleting it,” he said. “You just got to block out the noise. You got to do whatever you can to make sure you’re locked in.”
When asked about his approach to failure, Brunson kept the message centered on preparation and effort. “Honestly, just being able to say you give everything you got,” he said. “Knowing that sometimes you might not get the end result you want, but knowing that you give everything you want, that’s all you can do at this point.”
He added: “Control what you can control. If you go out there and obviously put all the preparation and the work in, you go out there, do everything you can. Sometimes you have to live with the results.”
Brunson also reflected on team culture and lessons carried from his college experience. “It was attitude, you know, controlling your attitude,” he said. “Controlling your effort, controlling everything, those are the things that you can control.”
He linked that mindset to the group’s current identity. “It’s been fun. I think we obviously all have a goal in mind, but being able to click at the right time and being able to understand what we’re about and seeing our chemistry grow,” Brunson said. “We know we got a lot of work to do as well.”
On external expectations and distractions, he remained consistent. “When there’s negative things being said about you, it’s important to ignore them,” he said. “When there are positive things about you, you know, it’s easy to be able to read them, be like, feel good, but you can’t do one and not the other.”
Brunson also acknowledged the fan excitement surrounding the Knicks’ Finals return, while keeping the focus internal. “It’s great to see everybody happy, but I know everybody else, even my parents and family, they’re excited,” he said. “I know they share the same main goal as everybody else on this team does.”
He concluded by reinforcing the team’s priority. “I think just pay attention, but I don’t really lean heavily on it,” Brunson said when asked about analytics.
