Knicks prepping playoffs without knowing next opponent: ‘It’s about us’

“I haven’t really thought about it. It’s one of those things where you can’t really worry about,” team captain Jalen Brunson said after practice on Saturday. “You have to control what you can control, focus on one day at a time and focus on the task at hand. Those things you try not to think about, because you just can’t control those things.”

The Knicks also can’t feed too far into the narrative suggesting they’re the team to beat out East.

“Nah, we not listening to no noise,” said Karl-Anthony Towns. “At the end of the day, we just gotta continue to work on being the best version of ourselves. When we step on that court and give ourselves a chance to win every night, the only thing we gotta do is in our locker room, continue to believe in each other.”

Asked again by a reporter if he’s heard the East runs through the Knicks, Towns responded: “No, no. I know you really want me to say yes, but unfortunately for you, it’s a no.”

THE KAT WEARS PRADA

Towns can add “actor” to his LinkedIn bio: He made a cameo in The Devil Wears Prada 2, featuring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep.

“It was an honor. It was an honor, and it was awesome to just see the masses of work at work in the acting world, and to be able to see them just do what they do at the highest level,” he said on Saturday. “It was such an honor.”

Towns was notably absent from the movie’s red carpet premiere. It took place on April 20, the same day as Game 2 of the Knicks-Hawks series.

“I was [invited]. I had work,” he said. “I had work. We had work.”

REST AND RELAXATION

The Knicks had Friday off, and many of the players spent time with their loved ones.

“[The off day is] not as exciting as I think fans think. Yesterday was a great day to just rejuvenate the soul and mental,” said Towns. “I just spent the whole day with my family. I took my niece to the mall in Jersey and took her to the park, took them on a pizza day, my niece and nephew.

“So kinda really just spending time with the family. I didn’t really do anything that people would think is exciting or anything, but to me it was the greatest day. It was the greatest thing to do on a day off, especially after a big win. I would love to celebrate it with no other people than my family, my niece and nephew.”

SECOND TO NONE

Brown called Brunson’s ability to set off-ball screens “second-to-none,” but did that mean he’s the best screen-setting guard ever in NBA history? The popular answer there is Stephen Curry, whose ability to move without the basketball and create shots for his teammates catapulted the Golden State Warriors to four NBA titles.

“Steph is good, but there’s one other person,” Brown said.

Brown rejected guesses of Tony Parker and Mark Jackson.

“John Stockton,” he said. “He was good. Especially for a little guy, John.”