Kristaps Porzingis on Challenge of MSG: Knicks Have to “Come to Boston” Too

Kristaps Porzingis on Challenge of MSG: Knicks Have to “Come to Boston” Too

And what are you looking forward to with that? Yeah, I’m uh coming out the series happy we we got it done in five. Um as I said um before uh I don’t think we played our best basketball. Uh I think some like JT played really well. We had some good moments and stuff, but overall uh we can play a lot better, especially myself. And um yeah, that’s the feeling that I have from that series, you know, and and it’s good. We got it done pretty quickly to get a little few extra days for guys to rest their bodies. Um, myself included to to to heal everything and and I go into this series in a you know even better shape than than we went into the last one. And um and what do I anticipate? And we we’ve saw them a few times this year. um talented um Brunson high level, Towns high level. Um it’s going to be it’s going to be a challenge with those two guys and they have good good guys around them also. So um yeah, it’s going to it’s going to be, you know, I’m going to give you a little bit like default answer, but it’s going to be a big challenge. you know, we’re going to have to play hard and and you know, to to match everything they’re doing and and um and we’ll see where we end up. Is anything still there with you for the Knicks given that you played there and left and all that? Like uh in terms of No, I think I just always love playing there. Honestly, I love playing there on the road. Um yeah, my first like first couple games were pretty crazy there, you know, with getting booed and stuff. Uh but I think uh now the time has passed and it’s, you know, not as recent anymore and I’ve changed a couple teams already also. So it’s um from that perspective it’s you know it’s just whatever. But I love I love playing there honestly and a lot of um even just people that come to the games like I remember them from my first few years in league and I have a great relationship with them and you know I say hi to them before the game and and uh and talk some stuff uh throughout the game and and um and yeah it’s uh it’s always uh it’s always fun to go up against him. Christophs, whenever Joe gets asked about like matchups and adjusting sort of like what you said to different, you know, teams you might face in the playoffs, he always comes back to like controlling the things you guys can control, like defending about fouling, rebounding, taking care of the ball. How much has that been emphasized this year and last year for you versus maybe other playoff runs you’ve had in other organizations? Uh, yeah. I mean, um, each team has their own identity, you know, and and things they want to do and how they see winning. Um, so for everybody is different, but for us is this and and it worked last year for us and so far we’ve been doing decently. And uh and those are just the simple things we need to do right to be a great team and and and and you know that’s also a little bit like insight small insight in and Joe’s mindset you know and and and what he what he expects from us and and that’s it. We we have to do the small things the the simple things right and then we’ll be in a pretty good shape. You say that every team has different things they emphasize and this is what works for you. Why do you think that this is what works for like this group? Again, we have all the talent. We have, you know, a lot of like tricks we can pull out of our sleeve if we need we need to, but we want to build this um run on a strong foundation. And we don’t want it to be, oh, we we pulled this one out somehow someway based off of JT or JB’s talent, you know, and they made some crazy plays and we just close our eyes and, you know, and hope it happens again, you know, like we want to have a good base as a team and and and do all the the the foundational things correctly and then um and then have that in our back pocket if we need it. Chris Hops, you guys obviously you won the championship last year. You’ve been in the biggest moment. However, playoffs at Madison Square Garden between Boston and New York, two rivals, historic rivals, that has its own energy that you guys have never experienced. How do you avoid getting caught up in the moment of being on that MSG floor, looking around, the bright lights, the crazy crowd, and all of that stuff, staying in the moment, kind of playing within yourselves? You’ve already got a smirk thinking about it. No, because you’re like making it seem like we’re just going to get caught caught off guard like a deer. Like, oh my god, the I mean, listen, but you’re you guys are human, right? You’re human. That’s that’s an incredible atmosphere. You guys talked about how much you love playing there. I mean, it’s you guys are mentally strong. You’ve, like you said, you won a championship, but also it’s kind of cool and it’s going to be its own energy. So, like there’s how do you stay in the moment in that in that point? No, it’s just it comes with experience. No, I can ask the same thing. They’re going to have to come to here to Boston and experience this, you know, ask maybe ask them this question, you know, but uh no, we we we have the experience, you know, we have the experience and uh of course it’s going to be a big stage. It’s going to be Eastern Conference. It’s the biggest stage, you know, in Eastern Conference there can be. Um so it’s going to be fun. It’s just going to add more to the to the whole thing. And and New York fans are always great. Boston fans are always super invested and and and there to support their team and it’s going to be a between even between the fan bases is going to be a war for sure and like you know even the the videos that they put out and stuff like with the fans and stuff is is it’s fun and it makes the makes the rivalry even more fun as a fan and as a player. Chrisaps, do you think having been on the other side of it in some ways is harder for them because they haven’t reached there’s so much attention and so much spotlight on the Knicks and they haven’t reached the the levels that you guys have have experienced? Do you think there’s a a desperation or pressure that that their guys are are dealing with that is a little different than than than what you guys have just because of what you’ve accomplished? Um, do they have more desperation than us from a macro level? Because then there’s the Knicks get all the attention that they get being in New York, being at Madison Square Garden, uh, being the media capital of whatever, and they haven’t reached a a final in in a long time. They haven’t reached a conference finals in a in a in a long time. Do you feel like that when we talk about the the spotlight and so forth, is it almost harder what they’re dealing with and you having been part of that at one point and the pressure that that comes with that than than where you guys are now going into the series? Uh, I don’t know. I don’t know. It’s I don’t know how they feel and if they have this u huge amount of pressure. Honestly, just going into the series, I believe we’re going to be the favorites in betting odds, right? Uh so if anything, you know, it’s us who have more to lose, you know, cuz we’re supposed to win. Um but they’re dangerous. they’re dangerous, you know, and they going in as the underdog and and they have whole of whole New York behind them and and and you know, they they have, you know, they have the capability, you know, so uh it’s it’s it’s it’s us have to be uh um on our agame and and and and have that same hunger we had last year, you know, and we’re we’re we’re showing it and um we’re uh not uh defending what we did last We’re we’re trying to win another championship, you know, and and that’s going to be our mindset going into this and and and and into the future. Uh KP, when you got picked, it kind of started this trend around the NBA of these really huge dudes being able to shoot from 30 feet, 32 feet, whatever it is, and now obviously going up against the Knicks, they have Carl Anthony Towns. They’ve kind of replaced your archetype in a way. I’m curious what your thoughts are on kind of the NBA kind of modeling the center position after you after you got picked and also what you think it’s going to be like going up against towns in this series. Yeah, I don’t know how much I’m uh guilty for this, but there was, you know, obviously people before me like Durk, uh even Tony Koko, like you know, um European players that were shooters and um and yeah, it’s a part of my game for sure. And and and obviously me and Kat came in the league at the same time. So, uh and he’s been shooting the ball excellent throughout his career. Um and and and and yeah, for sure there’s the next generation coming up, they’re probably going to be, you know, even even I don’t know uh taller uh you see even WBY, you know, taller, more athletic, uh better shooters, etc., etc. So, um it’s just, you know, we’re we’re are we are some of the players that definitely kind of maybe started a bit more of that trend, you know, so and now also all all the players are so skilled, even the bigs have to be so skilled. So, um, and what what else were you asking about how you were ready to match up with him for the series? Yeah. Yeah. No, he’s he’s a tough matchup obviously, you know, with the shooting and and with his um um uh with his uh talent offensively, he’s a tough matchup for anybody. And um and yeah, again, a little bit default answer, but it’s going to take a team effort to to stop him. Kristoff, it’s because of your journey and because of the team’s journey last year and and now into this year, how much do you rely on that experience, but what’s the value of that experience of your journey and this team with so many different options and guys relying on each other and knowing each other so well in a series like this and as you go forward? Can you repeat again the the first part because of your journey and the team’s journey the last two years? How do you use all that and that experience to to prepare for what you’re going through and and go through on a game by-game basis now? Mhm. Yeah. Again, it goes back to the experience, you know, the experience and the versatility of our team. Uh so many guys that can step up on different nights uh and and score 30. Uh it’s uh it’s a big big um advantage that we have. You know, not many teams have this kind of a talent. And a lot of times, I think, yes, of course, everybody gets their crit, especially because of winning, but a lot of times I think people don’t realize that you take this player and you put him on a different team and everybody will be like, “Oh my god, this gu is this guy is incredible.” like and yes, we get the love, but it’s also everybody sacrifice a little bit, you know, and starting with the main guys JB and JT, you know, they they sacrifice a little bit if you put different pieces around them that maybe don’t need the ball as much or don’t shoot as much. It’s they score 34 a game and whatever. And, you know, it’s so it’s it’s definitely sacrifice for uh the team um for the team success and uh and that’s a privilege we have. Chris, how did you make it through the the physicality of the Orlando series? I mean, obviously, we’re pushing you, trying to get you off your spot. They were there was a lot of physical play and do you expect that in this series? Mhm. Yeah, we have to expect a high level of physicality no matter who we play against cuz that’s the that’s the way to slow us down a bit. And I think we play it a little bit, myself included, into their hands, Orlando a little bit, you know, they just slow the game down, make it real muddy and like, you know, and then how to combat it. That is more movement, more movement. Get get off their bodies. Um, don’t let them slow you down as much. And um and I think as the series went on, I I did a better job of that and and that’s going to be experience that I take with me going forward. But again, every matchup different, every every coverage a little bit different and and um we’re going to have to go and and and and and figure out, you know, how New York is going to try to combat us and and and and make the adjustments.

BOSTON — Kristaps Porzingis pushed back on the idea that the Celtics might struggle playing at Madison Square Garden:

“You’re making it seem like we are going to get caught off guard like a deer in headlights. I can ask the same thing — [the Knicks] are going to have to come to Boston and experience this, so maybe ask them this question.”

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