Knicks Bulletin: “This is what you live for, why you sign with the Knicks.”

Today is the day. 3:30 is the time. Madison Square Garden is the place. The Knicks could make XXI-century franchise history. No hyperbole.

New York is hosting the first Game 7 the Knicks have played since they lost to the same Pacers in 1995. New York has not witnessed an ECF matchup since the city last saw between the end of May and the second day of June, 2000.

Here are the final quotes before this win-or-go-home Game 7. Confidence through the roof. Go Knicks.

Jalen Brunson

On the Knicks having to deal with physical challenges and injuries through the season...

“There’s a lot of things obviously that physically don’t go our way with our team this year. I think our main focus is whoever we have out there, regardless of what you’re dealing with or anything—if you are out there, you are ready to go.

On Josh Hart availability for Game 7...

“I mean, I would assume he’s playing. It’s Game 7.”

“Josh asked to come back out (in Game 6), but he went back in and gives everything he has. What more can you ask for from a teammate? Knowing the situation, we’re just going to have each other’s backs.”

Isaiah Hartenstein

On staying focused and trusting the process even though they keep losing bodies by the day...

“If you get too focused in to that, it’s going to be hard to get through. What we’ve been focusing on is day by day, just trusting the process. It’s not easy, but we just have to keep pushing.”

Donte DiVincenzo

On making some final adjustments to beat a resilient Pacers team...

“I think we go back and watch the film and see how we can adjust on the offensive end. I think we’re at our best when [we are] going side to side, we’re getting downhill, we’re spraying the ball.”

”I think they did a good job of taking all of what we do away, so you have to give them credit. But at the same time, we will make adjustments. We will have the understanding of how we won games all season. And there’s no doubt in my mind that we’ll respond on Sunday.”

On playing in a win-or-go-home game at MSG...

“This is what you live for. This is why you sign with the Knicks. To come home, play in front of the Garden, it’s Game 7. It’s going to be rocking and that’s what we love.”

On the Knicks’ readiness for Game 7...

“It’s been our season. We have more than enough, whoever’s on the court. Whatever five is on the court, we have a certain blueprint here. You go out there, you compete your tails off, and you give yourselves a chance to win. That’s our mindset.”

Miles McBride

On the Pacers’ defensive effort in Game 6...

“I think they were just flying around. They were rotating pretty well, just trying to run us off the 3-point line. I think a lot of it also came from us getting stops, and then we weren’t getting stops.”

Rick Carlisle (Indiana Pacers Head Coach)

On the significance of Game 7...

“It’s the ultimate game. And it’s a great opportunity. This team has been through a lot of new experiences over the last 3 ½ weeks, and this will be another new one. So we’ll do everything possible to get them ready. But in Game 7s, it comes down to compete level and how well you’re tied together.”

Aaron Nesmith (Indiana Pacers Player)

On the excitement of playing in a Game 7:

“The best two words in sports.”

“Everybody here is excited for it. It’s a lot of people’s first Game 7. It’s my first real one … so it’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

Pascal Siakam (Indiana Pacers Player)

On the intensity and focus needed for Game 7...

“It’s gritty. Both teams are going to play hard. It’s going to be hard. It’s a lot of things that’s going to happen, and as long as you stay focused within the game plan and play with energy, the hardest-playing team usually wins these games.”

“It’s going to take everything. A lot of crazy stuff’s going to happen, just got to stay within what we do, and as long as you come into the game with pure energy and playing as hard as you can, stay together. That’s the most important. … We’ve just got to manage it, stay together. That’s the main thing that I’ll be preaching to the guys is just bring your energy and bring everything.”

T.J. McConnell (Indiana Pacers Player)

On the effort needed for Game 7

“It’s one of those things where the team that exerts the most energy and plays to exhaustion comes out on top, and it’s win or go home. It’s something every player plays for, a Game 7, and excited for the opportunity. But we have to be more dialed in than any of us have ever been before.”

“They know that if you’re not playing to absolute exhaustion in this next game, why even go? And that’s got to be the mindset from everyone here.”