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Karl-Anthony Towns of the New York Knicks shakes hands with Player Correspondent Kon Knueppel. The Knicks and Spurs addressed the media Friday ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n
The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks met with the press today ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals<\/a>, which is scheduled to be broadcast Saturday, June 13 at 8:30 ET on ABC.<\/p>\n Catch up on the best quotes and moments from the fifth Media Day of the Finals with the NBA.com live blog.<\/p>\n What we know after Friday\u2019s Media Day:<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 4:25 ET<\/p>\n Karl-Anthony Towns speaks<\/p>\n Karl-Anthony Towns talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On the magnitude of OG Anunoby\u2019s game-winner as a New York sports moment\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIn New York moments, it\u2019s high up on the list\u2026 I think of Derek Jeter hitting the home run to right field\u2026 I think of Plaxico Burress catching the ball, I think of David Tyree catching the ball\u2026 It\u2019s going to be up there with some of the greatest moments in New York history.<\/p>\n \u201cI tried to explain it to him, but you know OG barely gives you any reaction, so I don\u2019t know if he\u2019s understanding it or not. It\u2019s a great moment, it\u2019s one of the best moments in New York sports history, but we\u2019ve got to solidify it with one more win.\u201d<\/p>\n On being able to stay desperate for clinching games\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to approach every game like it\u2019s zero-zero. We\u2019ve got to have the kind of desperation to win Game 1 of a playoff series. We\u2019ve got to go in with the understanding and no comfortability\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cGame plan discipline has to be at another level\u2026 The hardest game to win is one that ends someone season.\u201d<\/p>\n On KAT\u2019s growth as a playmaker\u2026<\/p>\n Kon Knueppel asked this question.<\/p>\n \u201cFor me, it\u2019s imperative to make the defense have to shift, and make them have continuously to think. As you know, the game is already physically tiring, but if you can add the mental component as well, and have people thinking the entire game, it even makes them more tired, and allows us more opportunities to get better looks.<\/p>\n \u201cWe may not all be great shooters like you, but I think what you do when you move the ball, and allow the ball to flow and the IQ to flow, is you allow great shots to happen, especially when you\u2019re touching the paint and having movement in the offense and having the defense make a mistake\u2026 I\u2019ve always loved passing. It\u2019s always one of my greatest joys, is getting my teammates an assist and seeing them succeed. When you make a shot, you know only one person\u2019s happy, but when you get an assist, two people are happy. And I think that\u2019s a recipe for success.\u201d<\/p>\n On the value of having Knicks\u2019 fans supporting them on the road\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a wild experience to be on a road game and feel like it was a home game (for the first time). Knicks fans are amazing \u2014 our fans really bring it, regardless of where the game is at. I didn\u2019t know I would still have that same experience in Abu Dhabi in the preseason, and they flew all the way out there and made it known it was going to be a home game, no matter where we go in the world.<\/p>\n \u201cOur fans are special man, and they bring so much energy, love and support for us that it gets us over that hump when we\u2019re not playing well, or maybe we\u2019re just not as connected as we should be on the court. They really bring us together. Our fans really are our secret weapon.\u201d<\/p>\n On Leon Rose\u2019s efforts as team president\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you\u2019re an agent, anyone who knows the sports agency business, it\u2019s all about relationships. And what Leon is one of the best in the world at is having genuine, loving relationships with people. Because of that, you see the way our team acts, the way our team conducts itself \u2014 we conduct ourselves like family.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s always had that family mantra in everything that he\u2019s done. And doing that, the connectivity and the unity that this team presents every single night, regardless of what the deficit is\u2026 as a family, you never want to let your brothers down. For us, it\u2019s always about being the best for each other, and understanding regardless of what happens in the world or what people say, \u2018we all we got, and we all we need.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cAs a family, when you truly believe in your family, you truly believe anything is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n On the difficulty of refocusing after a win like Game 4\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cExperience teaches you to get back on track pretty quickly\u2026 Obviously, that game is a hardwood classic, something that the NBA has never seen before. But I\u2019ve also seen things, being in that situation where the joy is at an all time high, and it can be at an all time low pretty quickly\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, that night, we enjoyed the \u2018shell shock\u2019 of what happened, and obviously, we were the ones part of it, but we understood that the next morning, we had to get back to work, and we had to lock back in and find a way to win another one.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd in that moment of jubilation, in that moment of absolute joy, we have to talk about the elephant in the room. We just didn\u2019t play well at all, and we put ourselves in that deficit. While there is joy, there is also frustration, that we even allowed ourselves to be in that kind of position\u2026 There\u2019s a lot to work on, there\u2019s a lot to talk about, there\u2019s a lot to correct, but as anyone in the room knows, if you\u2019ve been around basketball\u2026 it\u2019s always good to learn those lessons in a win.\u201d<\/p>\n On why the team is comfortable responding to deficits\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cOur unity, our connectivity. We just continue to believe in each other and believe in our team, our game plan, and whatever needs to adjusted in a game, us as players, we\u2019ll always talk it out. We are willing to have those conversations that are difficult. We are willing to keep each other accountable.<\/p>\n \u201cRegardless of what happens, we know \u2018we all we got and we all we need,\u2019 and it\u2019s more than enough to have a chance to win every single night\u2026 I hope our team shows the world that we truly mean it\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThat last game is just another example\u2026 how much we truly have love for each other\u2026 Family stays close, and when things got really bad, we got closer \u2014 we didn\u2019t start fading away from each other.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 4:10 ET<\/p>\n Mikal Bridges speaks<\/p>\n Mikal Bridges talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On putting a game like Game 4 behind them\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s pretty easy for us\u2026 As a player, we know our job\u2019s not finished, so we\u2019re ready.\u201d<\/p>\n On similarities between his national championships with Villanova and this run\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cCoach Wright did a great job of teaching us how to win, and what it takes\u2026 Knowing how hard it is to get here, and knowing how hard it is to win, I think that\u2019s helped us.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, us being teammates and being in this moment, it\u2019s really cool, but we still have a job to do and we\u2019re not there yet.\u201d<\/p>\n On the differences between Jalen Brunson in college and the pros\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cComing to New York, his game has grown. It\u2019s just a little bit different \u2014 I think his scoring went up, so I\u2019ve got to fill that little bit off ball. HIs progression and a scorer has just been great for us, not just for me, but for everybody. It keeps the defense honest\u2026 I think he tries to make the right read every single time, and I have a lot of confidence in him.<\/p>\n \u201cSomething I know about Jalen \u2014 which I always knew in college as well \u2014 because of how talented he is, sometimes he might feel like\u2026 his right read might be taking a shot while it\u2019s contested\u2026 I think it\u2019s a pretty good decision for him as well, and for the team, because he\u2019s that talented.\u201d<\/p>\n On being cheered on the road with the Knicks\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s real cool man, to be around for that. It just shows how much the fanbase travels, and cares about the team and cares about winning. I\u2019m forever grateful to have them on our side, because I don\u2019t think that\u2019s anywhere \u2014 I don\u2019t think any team in the league does that\u2026 Just very grateful to be in this position, in this organization with these fans.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 3:45 ET<\/p>\n OG Anunoby speaks<\/p>\n OG Anunoby talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On who he heard from after the tip-in\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely a heard from a lot of people\u2026 but I\u2019ll bring up my Raptors teammates, who I played with in the past. They were really excited for me, really happy for me.\u201d<\/p>\n On what it means to hit an iconic shot in New York history\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s really cool. Everyone\u2019s been telling me how much it means, and I obviously see how much it means. It\u2019s just really cool to be a part of it, and I\u2019m very grateful.<\/p>\n \u201cSpecial. It\u2019s amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n On how many texts he received after Game 4\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not sure how many, but it was a lot though.\u201d<\/p>\n On improving from great to excellent as a player\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of preparation off the court, with film study and all those things, and then on the court, being in the gym, working on my game, trying to grow and improve throughout the year\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cAlways trying to get better. And then also opportunity, more opportunity to show more and do more things, and being ready for it, when you get the opportunity, just from the hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n On Knicks fans traveling for Game 5 and the feeling of having support on the road\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThe support, it means everything to us. We know we have the best fans in the world. They support, they travel, they show up, they\u2019re loud, they\u2019re rowdy, they\u2019re excited, and we all feel that. We feed off their energy.\u201d<\/p>\n On the shot being dubbed \u2018The Hand of OG\u2019 and being linked to Diego Maradona\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cMaradona\u2019s a legend\u2026 It\u2019s really, really cool, special\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s ironic, and it\u2019s iconic. It\u2019s cool.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 3:30 ET<\/p>\n Jalen Brunson speaks<\/p>\n Jalen Brunson talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On what gives the team the ability to stay in games\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cOur mentality. Our belief and confidence in each other.\u201d<\/p>\n On Knicks fans traveling for Game 5\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI appreciate it more than I think I\u2019ll ever be able to say. Just very grateful and thankful.\u201d<\/p>\n On the attributes that lead to winning at all levels of basketball\u2026<\/p>\n Kon Knueppel asked this question.<\/p>\n \u201cI think the one thing that stays constant in all of that, and I\u2019ve always been taught by my parents, to never be afraid to fail\u2026 When you\u2019re putting yourself in those positions to get better in the summertime, when those opportunities come about, you\u2019re not afraid of the moment, because you\u2019ve worked hard enough to where if you do fail, you\u2019re going to learn anyway. You put the confidence you have in everything you do when the lights are on because of everything you\u2019ve done when no one\u2019s watching.<\/p>\n \u201cSo that\u2019s the mindset that my parents instilled in me, and every step of the way, every coach I\u2019ve had has helped make it better. But it really starts with them, and I\u2019m really appreciative of them.\u201d<\/p>\n On if it feels different to be one step away from a Championship\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cZero-zero.\u201d<\/p>\n On finding normalcy in the Finals\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019ve also been able to understand what a unique opportunity this is, so it\u2019s not really that normal, but when you\u2019re doing the things that help you prepare for games, prepare for moments, and you put yourself in the routines that you\u2019ve done your whole career, or your whole life, when it comes game time you\u2019re ready to go, because you put your mind in the position to be ready.<\/p>\n \u201cAlso, I have a very unique circle that keeps me humble, and I wouldn\u2019t change that for anything.\u201d<\/p>\n On putting Game 4 aside\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWhenever you win or lose a game, that night, you\u2019re going to think about it \u2014 think about the things that you\u2019ve done well, or you\u2019ve done wrong. And I\u2019ve always told myself, that when you wake up the next day, it\u2019s time to turn the page\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cBut we still have a lot of work to do\u2026 We did not play our best basketball, so we still have a lot to revisit to make sure we don\u2019t put ourselves in that position again.\u201d<\/p>\n On the narrative surrounding Karl-Anthony Towns in the past\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cBeing the teammate that he is, and seeing his sacrifices, and seeing what he\u2019s done his entire career, puts him in the position to be a Hall of Famer. Honestly, I wouldn\u2019t trade that for the world, and the things he\u2019s done have been extraordinary.<\/p>\n \u201cNot sure how he\u2019s going to respond to me saying all these nice things about him, but he\u2019s one hell of a basketball player, but he\u2019s honestly a better teammate.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 3:15 ET<\/p>\n Coach Mike Brown speaks<\/p>\n Mike Brown talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On the group\u2019s ability to lock in in series-deciding games\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cTheir level of maturity. Obviously, we have some veteran guys, but you can be a veteran and still have a little bit of immaturity about you, as we all know. But from top to bottom, this group is pretty mature, even though a lot of them are veteran guys, and that rubs off on the rest of the group.\u201d<\/p>\n On how the team stays focused\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to stay focused. It\u2019s about the process \u2014 the next play, the next play, the next play\u2026 When you\u2019re playing against other great teams, that\u2019s how you\u2019ve got to take it, because anyone\u2019s mind can start wandering when you\u2019re thinking about the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n On the difficulty of staying desperate after a game like Game 4\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt is hard. We\u2019re all human, and it was hard even in the series that we swept. You win two, three, four, five games in a row, and there\u2019s a tendency to relax a bit, and that\u2019s just in life\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cTrying to manufacture things to help guys lock in\u2026 Having Pat Ewing\u2019s presence around, so he can talk to guys to continue to help them lock in from a different vantage point, is all huge for us to do, especially during this time, and coming off a win like the last game.\u201d<\/p>\n On how he feels about Landry Shamet\u2019s journey to this moment\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the best feeling in the world, to see somebody that deserves an opportunity and maybe gets passed over, passed over, passed over, and now on one of the biggest stages in his\u2026 craft, he steps up and show the world \u2018no, I can do this.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cIt makes you feel really, really good to see that, because he went and he earned it. You have a lot of role models in life\u2026 but you can take a guy like Landry Shamet\u2019s story as a young player, or even someone in the work field\u2026 and understand that you might get passed over for that promotion six straight times, but if you stay with it, stay with it, believe, believe, grind, grind, now when that opportunity\u2019s there, and the right situation is there for you, it\u2019s time for you to shine, and that\u2019s what he\u2019s doing.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s bigger than basketball, what he\u2019s doing. It\u2019s a great life lesson for others.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 2:50 ET<\/p>\n Josh Hart speaks<\/p>\n Josh Hart talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On not always putting up huge stats\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cCoach (Jay) Wright did a really good job of emphasizing that competitive will \u2014 making the plays that go beyond the box score, and I think you see it with a lot of Villanova guys in the league\u2026 I think it really started at \u2018Nova, and when you do something for four years, it sticks with you.\u201d<\/p>\n On dominating previous closeout games and reacting to the Spurs\u2019 success in the first quarter\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got to make sure we come in focus, with a great attention to detail, and take things a possession at a time. We know if we do that, and we play our style of basketball, we\u2019re going to put ourselves in a good position to be successful. But we can\u2019t keep getting into a hole and try to dig ourselves out\u2026 We were fortunate to do that last game, actually all three of our wins, but we\u2019ve got to do a better job of starting things off.\u201d<\/p>\n On looking back on his tenure with the Knicks..<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been the league for nine years. I had a lot of instability before I got here, in those 6.5 years or whatever it was, I had six head coaches, three different teams\u2026 I was looking for a home and stability, and I found that in New York, first with Thibs (Tom Thibodeau) and now with Mike (Brown).<\/p>\n \u201cI think the city really embraced me \u2014 my style of play, me as a person. When you do that, you feel like you\u2019re able to go out there and play your best. The city is built on toughness, grit \u2014 blue-collar people, and I feel like I\u2019m the same person. They can look in the mirror, they can see myself, because that\u2019s how I see myself \u2014 I just happen to hoop.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, the stability at home in New York has been amazing, and hopefully we can keep it going.\u201d<\/p>\n On offensive rebounding from the guards and wings\u2026<\/p>\n Kon Knueppel asked this question.<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes, you get the cleanest looks for your best shooters off offensive rebounds. If you\u2019re able to punish teams on the offensive glass, get extra possessions, change the momentum, that\u2019s something that\u2019s huge.<\/p>\n \u201cFor us, besides JB, and Jose, and Deuce, a lot of us are taller, stronger wings\u2026 obviously, Mitch is an amazing offensive rebounder. When you\u2019re able to do that, get extra possessions, it increases your chances to win. It also helps negate teams like y\u2019all that play extremely fast and kill teams in transition.\u201d<\/p>\n On the importance of the camaraderie in the Knicks locker room\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s been invaluable. I think you can look at the play where I missed a layup last game. I miss a layup, and we come down, we foul Wemby\u2026 and I ended up on the ground. And I was frustrated, and I was kind of down on myself, and you see JB, KAT, Jose run up to me, pick me up, you see Landry on the bench, yelling at me to get up, doing those type of things.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have a team that has that kind of togetherness in the most adverse situations, that breeds championship habits and a championship team\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWhen you have a team like that, man, whatever happens in a game, you feel like you can get through it.\u201d<\/p>\n On reacting to a big run like the Spurs had in the first half\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI think it gets a little easier to focus on the game plan. Most of the time, when you dig yourself into that hole, you\u2019re not doing what you\u2019re supposed to be doing, you\u2019re not doing what you\u2019re supposed to be doing\u2026 you don\u2019t have that attention to detail.<\/p>\n \u201cIt allows you to stop and reset for a minute, and double down on having that focus\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cGood teams are able to steady themselves, steady the ship, and (get) back to doing what they do.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 2:35 ET<\/p>\n Devin Vassell speaks<\/p>\n Devin Vassell talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On the team\u2019s mindset down 3-1\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cOne game at a time, just one game at a time. There\u2019s a lot of stuff that we watched in film that we feel like we can control, and we can be better at. Nothing is guaranteed, nothing is promised. But we know we at least have got one game, so we need to go 1-0, and whatever we need to do for that to happen, we\u2019re going to do that.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all motivated. We\u2019re all ready to go. Obviously, after the game, it\u2019s tough and the locker room\u2019s quiet, and we\u2019re trying to figure out what happened and what went wrong. Fast forward 48 hours later, same goal, same mission. We feel like we\u2019ve played them really good for the last four games, we just really haven\u2019t been able to close out\u2026 A credit to them, but we feel like we\u2019ve been able to control a lot of this series, and we\u2019ve just have to figure out how to close out these games.\u201d<\/p>\n On the difficulty of stopping a big run like the Knicks had\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cFrom the beginning of the season, we\u2019ve hung our hat on the defensive end. When we\u2019re not getting stops, when we\u2019re not communicating, when we\u2019re not doing the things that gave us a lead, everything else trickles down.\u201d<\/p>\n On how long it takes to move on from Game 4 and using it as motivation\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThought about it that night, thought about it yesterday. Woke up today ready to go and ready to execute the game plan for the next day. I think that\u2019s everybody\u2019s mindset \u2014 \u2018cool, we\u2019re not going to sit here and think about what we could have done, what should have happened\u2019\u2026 that\u2019s not changing the result of anything.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, we\u2019ve just got to execute the game plan, trust what the coaches have for us, and get ready to go.\u201d<\/p>\n On whether the chance to make history is motivational\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, yeah, but you can\u2019t think about that, honestly, at all, because you\u2019ve got to start off going 1-0. You can\u2019t look too far in the future, because there\u2019s nothing promised for us right now. We\u2019ve got our back against the wall. So let\u2019s just focus on trying to go 1-0, which starts tomorrow, and from there we just try to walk it down.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 2:25 ET<\/p>\n Dylan Harper speaks<\/p>\n Dylan Harper talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On the team\u2019s mindset going into Game 5\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like everybody took a day to relax, debrief, and hit that reset button. But we have another great opportunity to go and prove who we are as a team, so that\u2019s the biggest focus for us, 40 hours from now.\u201d<\/p>\n On memories of the 2016 NBA Finals and its example\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI definitely watched it\u2026 My biggest takeaway was obviously the performance that LeBron, Kyrie, they put on to have that comeback. That\u2019s probably the (earliest) series I remember.<\/p>\n \u201cWe always have hope. Our biggest thing in the locker room is having that belief, and having that belief and having that belief, and not letting anyone take that away from us, because that\u2019s ultimately how we got here.\u201d<\/p>\n On the difficulty of stopping a run like the Knicks had in Game 4\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t take our foot off the gas in a sense. Can\u2019t get comfortable with a lead. It\u2019s the NBA Finals \u2014 anything can happen, like you just saw. At the end of the day, we\u2019ve got to stay together as a group.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 2:06 ET<\/p>\n De\u2019Aaron Fox speaks<\/p>\n De’Aaron Fox talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On evaluating his and the team\u2019s performance in Game 4\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cFor us, it\u2019s about \u2018what are we going to do when we get up 10\u2026 15. Every game we\u2019ve had some sort of lead, and we\u2019re down 3-1. We\u2019ve got to figure out how to sustain those leads, and we\u2019ve got to figure out how to finish games.\u201d<\/p>\n On separating mistakes from the team\u2019s overall belief\u2026\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI think these games have shown we have a chance. It\u2019s not like we\u2019re going out and getting steamrolled\u2026 Every time we get a lead, it\u2019s like that\u2019s when the game starts. They\u2019ve made the bigger plays down the stretch.\u201d<\/p>\n On the sense of momentum heading into Game 5 and potential frustration\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, it\u2019s frustrating to be down, but we still have this belief, because we\u2019ve seen it. We\u2019ve seen it be done, that teams have come back from 3-1\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to win tomorrow, and then we give ourselves a chance to win tomorrow\u2026 We\u2019re not trying to take the easy way out, take shortcuts, we\u2019re looking at the game tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n On facing the Knicks\u2019 five-out offense\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s how we\u2019re guarding. Whenever we\u2019re doing what we\u2019re supposed to do, we\u2019re forcing them into tougher shots\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, it\u2019s a difficult thing to do over-and-over-and-over again, but when we\u2019re\u2026 staying on top of the things we\u2019re supposed to do, we\u2019re making it tougher on them offensively.\u201d<\/p>\n On handling the scrutiny after Game 4\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not like people have my phone number\u2026 I don\u2019t watch those shows. It doesn\u2019t matter. Can\u2019t change it now, and no one\u2019s coming up in your face, yelling at you about it.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to move on from that, obviously, continue to learn from the mistakes that we\u2019ve made\u2026 We think about the next game.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 1:56 ET<\/p>\n Stephon Castle speaks<\/p>\n Stephon Castle talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On coming back from a 3-1 deficit\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt just starts with believing first.\u201d<\/p>\n On knowing the Knicks can win the title on the Spurs\u2019 home court in Game 5\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cOur mindset coming into every game is going to be the same \u2014 trying to have short-term memory, through wins and losses. I feel like, the way we started the first half, if we would have just played like it was 0-0, instead of taking our foot of the gas\u2026 I feel like that\u2019s what sparked their comeback.\u201d<\/p>\n On the difficulty of countering a run like the Knicks\u2019 in Game 5\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s that hard to do\u2026 Our shot selection wasn\u2019t great, but I think it started with our defense\u2026 They were able to generate a lot of open shots\u2026 and eventually they started to fall for them.\u201d<\/p>\n On balancing the Spurs being close in every game versus the Game 4 defeat\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had a 10+ point lead in every game, so trying to stay poised throughout that, and trying to keep our foot on the gas really. Once we get those leads, we start to play a little bit differently. We have to stay aggressive, and be smart through it.\u201d<\/p>\n On the importance of potentially coming back from a 3-1 deficit\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like we\u2019ve made history all year, and we\u2019ve proven that, with our backs against the wall, we can step up. I don\u2019t really expect this to be any different.\u201d<\/p>\n On avoiding regret looking back at this series\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s definitely hard, looking back at it and thinking about what the series score could be, based on self-inflicted mistakes. But the reality of it is we\u2019re here now, and it\u2019s not too late to fix those mistakes. I think we can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 1:45 ET<\/p>\n Victor Wembanyama speaks<\/p>\n Victor Wembanyama talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On what he does to get back to a 0-0 mindset\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThe same routine as usual, but even more pushed, you know? We\u2019re at this point in the season where we can take some time in every other thing we do to put into performance. We\u2019re at the position where we can really empty the tank.\u201d<\/p>\n On what they could have done to avoid the loss\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThere were a thousand ways we could not have lost that game. But it felt like there was a time to process that and dwell on it, but not any more\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cAt the same time, the general theme would be giving them less opportunities, rather than doing something incredible.\u201d<\/p>\n On whether he\u2019s focused on the Game 4 loss or the Spurs\u2019 chances of winning all four games\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re very confident\u2026 I wouldn\u2019t say Game 4 was hard to shake off, but harder than any other game before, by far, for sure. But now we\u2019re over it. It\u2019s the playoffs \u2014 there\u2019s no time to regret things for too long.\u201d<\/p>\n On whether fatigue was a factor in Game 4\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cDefinitely a factor, but it\u2019s the Playoffs \u2014 everybody\u2019s just as tired. And it really shouldn\u2019t be a factor in the games. Now we\u2019ve got two days between the games \u2014 it\u2019s not going to be a factor.\u201d<\/p>\n On being drawn into the pick-and-roll\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cSometimes it feels like they\u2019re going to spend so much energy trying to put us in a certain position, and there\u2019s still no mismatch, so it\u2019s not necessarily bad. I don\u2019t really think it was a reason we lost that game.\u201d<\/p>\n On learning about the importance of experience in the Finals\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cIt felt like we haven\u2019t skipped any steps, because we\u2019ve made almost every mistake we could have possibly done, and we\u2019ve learned from them. So, I\u2019m counting on the fact that we\u2019re going to learn before this series is over, and apply.\u201d<\/p>\n On how his bond with Mitch Johnson has grown during the playoffs\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cHe understands people very well, and knows how to speak to them. I\u2019m no exception \u2014 he knows how to speak to me. In game, it feels like nonverbal communication as much as verbal, because first of all, it\u2019s loud, and sometimes we\u2019re far away\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cHe knows what I need, he knows what I need to get to, and I also know what he needs, what signals he needs to get to. We\u2019ve grown very much in that sense.\u201d<\/p>\n On the Spurs\u2019 belief heading into Game 5\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody knows we\u2019re going to (come back).. We need to isolate that one game, and take it one game at a time. I think it would be a mistake to waste our energy on multiple games.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 1:30 ET<\/p>\n Coach Mitch Johnson speaks<\/p>\n Mitch Johnson talks with the media ahead of Game 5 of the 2026 NBA Finals.<\/p>\n On focusing on how they built or lost leads after defeats\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI think every game takes on a different personality, and a lot of times, when you watch the games back\u2026 there\u2019s so much that starts to happen before you make a shot, or before the runs happen. And I think that\u2019s a lot of what gives someone a lot of clarity on what went well and what didn\u2019t. A lot of the time, these things aren\u2019t in a vacuum.\u201d<\/p>\n On reaching the team after a defeat like Game 4 after four close games\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cConviction, strength and confidence. There\u2019s no trick; there\u2019s no avoiding what\u2019s happened. All four games have been winnable games. There\u2019s not avoiding that we\u2019re down 3-1. There\u2019s not avoiding ways that we could be better; there\u2019s no one that\u2019s going to be harder on ourselves or more accountable to ourselves than the people in that locker room and each other. That\u2019s what\u2019s helped us get to where we are, and that\u2019s how the group is built, and there\u2019s no circumstance that\u2019ll change that.\u201d<\/p>\n On Wemby\u2019 playing 44 minutes and his total load\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had that discussion throughout the season\u2026 He\u2019s played heavy minutes at times through the games \u2014 all minutes aren\u2019t created equal. Some quarters are really slow, whether there\u2019s reviews or timeouts or whatnot\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cLooking back at it, I do believe that I have to make sure that I help him have the energy required to finish the game as strong as he needs to finish the game.\u201d<\/p>\n On what he focused on after Game 4\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cThe third quarter had the most disappointing parts, in terms of the lead was big, and it wasn\u2019t quite hurting us enough\u2026 now you\u2019re up 22, now you\u2019re up 18\u2026 so there\u2019s natural logic that says \u2018teams make runs, and you may not just boat race somebody in an NBA Finals game at their place. But there\u2019s a lot of things that we did where it felt like we could have put our energy in the right spots\u2026 and some things I could have done as well. I think that third quarter was most disappointing for me.\u201d<\/p>\n On what they could have done on OG\u2019s tip-in and the reaction to Fox\u2019s game\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t get into social media. I think I\u2019ve probably been fired 212 times and we\u2019ve traded Fox 72 times, and unfortunately we\u2019ve still got to show up and play tomorrow and I\u2019ve got to coach. The people who matter, we bond together and we stick together through the highs and lows\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cWe were, I think, chosen to be in the Play-In, and so I think there\u2019s a lot of things that have happened. Fox and I were fortunate enough to experience All-Star Weekend \u2014 we got a lot of positive after that, and we lost a tough game in the Finals that we had a lot to do with, in terms of we had control to walk that thing down. And that\u2019s what comes with the job\u2026<\/p>\n \u201cPeople have their opinions \u2014 I don\u2019t care. I care what the people that matter in our building, in our organization, in our locker room, how they feel, and I hear them in how they feel. And De\u2019Aaron Fox will have the ball at the end of the game tomorrow, and I have the utmost confidence that he\u2019s going to deliver like he\u2019s done countless times for us.\u201d<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 12:45 ET<\/p>\n A moment to remember<\/p>\n Poetry in slow motion.<\/p>\n OG’s Game 4-winning timing, athleticism, wingspan and coordination on display \ud83c\udf7fpic.twitter.com\/Njc3zYMmUm<\/a><\/p>\n