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OG Anunoby and the New York Knicks, as well as the San Antonio Spurs, will address the media Friday after Game 4\u2019s historic comeback.<\/p>\n
The San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks are meeting 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 about Friday\u2019s Media Day:<\/p>\n JUNE 12 \/ 2:35 ET<\/p>\n Devin Vassell speaks<\/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 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 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 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 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 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\u2019s 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