Knicks Bulletin: ‘If you score but you jog back and complain…’

Flowers for everybody but the New York players.

Somehow, some way, the Knicks allowed the Bulls to dump 139 points on them, losing to the Windy City bunch 139-126 and absolutely imploding during a third-quarter collapse for the ages.

New York enjoyed a nice first half but the minutes keep piling up thanks to Tom Thibodeau’s hyper-short rotation with legs turning into jello each passing hour.

Here’s what Coach Thibs and a few other Knicks (yes, that includes Derrick Rose) said before, during, and after yesterday’s memorable affair.

Tom Thibodeau

On the loss against the Bulls:

“I knew this would be as much a mental challenge as physical. We just went through a pretty tough stretch—five of six games on the road.

“They can score quickly. If you score but you jog back and you complain to an official, they’re racing it up. That’s where we could be better.”

On Derrick Rose’s impact on the game and his Hall of Fame candidacy.

“It is so well deserved, and I think, for what [Rose] means to the city, the Bulls, the entire NBA.

“I had the opportunity to coach against him. So, I know how difficult that is, and then I had the good fortune to coach him. You see in the eyes of the opponent when they had to guard him. You could see the fear and the respect, and then his ability to play his best when his best was needed.

“In the big games, playoff games, and meaningful games, he went to a different level, and he did it against the best.”

On what Derrick Rose represents as a player and person.

“Very authentic, did it his own way. Unrelenting, never give in. I always say the true measure of a man is how he handles adversity, and nobody did it better.

“He never stayed down, he always found a way to rise above. I’m thrilled for him for the career he had. I think he’s a Hall of Famer. There’s no question in my mind that he’s a Hall of Fame player.”

On expecting the Magic to welcome back Paolo Banchero for Monday’s matchup.

“Orlando, they’re getting people back. Banchero’s back.”

Josh Hart

On the loss to Chicago.

“We didn’t deserve to win that game with how we played. We gotta take that on the chin and move on.”

Jalen Brunson

On Derrick Rose’s role in his life.

“I can’t put it into words. I’m so thankful to have him as a role model, as a mentor. That’s my man, and I love him to death.”

Karl-Anthony Towns

On the injury scare and his availability for Monday’s game.

“I got hit. I was going to go for a dunk. Saw [White] was probably not going to give it to me, and then I switched hands, tried to do my best Michael Jordan impression. It hurt. Really all I saw was an and-1 that was too late to help us win. Honest to God, I didn’t even know I made it.

“[There’s pain] somewhere. I take every day as day-by-day regardless.”

On his weightlifting session following a late injury scare on Saturday.

“I’m sweating. I’m exhausted.”

On logging big minutes in the game against OKC.

“I played over 40? It felt like it.”

Derrick Rose (Chicago Legend)

On reflecting on his career and what might have been.

“Who knows? That’s something I really don’t think about. The last time I had those conversations was years, years ago.

“Who knows? But at the same time, with me being obsessed, I wouldn’t have found out who I was as a person. I was obsessed with the game. If I would have won one championship, I would have wanted four. And I would have gone further and further away from finding self-knowledge, self-revelation, identity.

“Everybody’s story is different. For some reason, mine ended up being this way. Coming from Chicago, you roll with the punches.”

On having his number retired by the Bulls.

“That would be my way of getting close to the (NBA’s) Top 75, and I’m only saying that because it relates to the MVP.

“It’s only a handful, a small group that got that trophy back there. And to think that way of playing—the Chicago way of playing—is not in that 75, it makes you think about it a little bit or question it a little bit.”

On the possibility of having a statue built in his honor.

“The statues—the way people been creating the statues—no, I do not want no statue.”

On Jalen Brunson’s career and sharing time with him in New York.

“His IQ was through the roof, and a lot of people didn’t know how he would adjust playing in the league, especially even when he was in college.

“He was a winner, he was winning in college, but [critics said] ‘Oh, he’s not athletic. He’s not a freak of nature, he’s not jumping through the roof, this and that.’”