Knicks 132, Wizards 101
Q. What did you see with the slow start, and do you feel like that was the difference?
MARVIN BAGLEY III: Yeah, for sure. We started slow. We've been here before where if we start games like that, it's hard to get out of the hole that we dig for ourselves. It's one of those things, we've just got to learn from it, keep continuing to grow. I think it's been happening a little less than it was in the beginning of the year, so that's growth.
But just one of those nights where we've got to start better and come out with a better start.
Q. Marvin, in these situations as of late, you guys have also responded very positively in that next game, so what is the mindset, because it's different when you have to respond at home, you have the home crowd, you're juiced up. How do you take that mindset and shift it on the road against a physical Detroit team? BK said the physicality, the force you guys have been playing with was missing tonight.
MARVIN BAGLEY III: Yeah, we've just got to have that next-play mentality. We've got to just figure out how to just start better. I think it's that simple, and just give ourselves a better chance of being in the game, and especially when it comes down to it, be able to win the game.
I think we'll be fine. We've just got to look at the film, learn from it, and we've just got to apply what we see and come out and fix it. It's nothing to hang our heads over. Obviously you don't want to lose like that, but it's a long season, so we've just got to continue to grow and get better.
Q. Before returning to the lineup for yourself, you had obviously been seeing the game from a different perspective. Now two games out there. I know you mix in with the starters and the second unit, but how have you seen the Wills, the Jamirs, the AJs, even Skal, where have you seen them grow the most over the course of maybe the last two weeks?
MARVIN BAGLEY III: It's been great watching those guys get opportunities and to be out there and help us. We see it every day, the work they put in. They stay ready. Some of those guys have been playing in the G, so they're staying ready. It just goes to show the work that they put in behind the scenes to be able to come out and do what they do.
It's great to see the young guys get an opportunity, and I'm happy to see them capitalizing on that.
Q. Despite the loss, you were efficient tonight. How were you able to pick your spots within the flow of the offense?
MARVIN BAGLEY III: Just letting the game come to me. I think being able to connect the offense and being able to read different situations and help my teammates in ways that don't show up on the stat sheet, stuff like that, the ball is going to come back to you, the floor is going to open up throughout the game. Just be patient with it and trusting my teammates and trying to get those guys open. That's really my mindset. I don't go into games trying to force anything necessarily, but at the same time, I still am aggressive.
So yeah, just letting the game come to me. Whatever happens is within the flow of the game, and just let my work and talent take over.
Q. Although it wasn't the outcome that you guys wanted, did you see a difference in your team between the first half and the second half?
MARVIN BAGLEY III: Yeah, I think as the game went on, we picked up our energy a little bit. We tried to get after it, tried to get some stops, communicating out there with each other, not letting the score dictate how we finished the game.
But like I said, it's hard to come out of the hole that we dug for ourselves early on. It's tough. But I definitely did see some positive stuff from us. You could feel it out there on the court while we were playing.
Yeah, we've just got to take that and build on it and go into the next game and have the opposite mindset of what we did tonight to start, and I think we'll be fine.
Q. Where has your individual game grown since you were here last season?
MARVIN BAGLEY III: Man, that's a good question. I just feel like being here last season, in the offense with these guys, just building that chemistry with the guys, and off the floor I think is where it starts. This is one of the best groups that I've been able to play with in terms of just how everybody gets along with each other, the camaraderie of the group. We're always joking with each other, laughing with each other off the court, stuff that you guys don't see a lot. That translates.
I just think it's chemistry that allows everybody to look good and look better, and we just play off of each other, try to help each other, be there for each other, win, lose or draw.
I think me personally, that's where you can see the growth, just how we're able to play with each other and just affect the game in positive ways. That's what I would say.
Q. You and I were talking the other day, you're only 26. You've got another 10 plus years in the league. How much more do you see that you can grow? In other words, how much opportunity do you see for yourself to hit another ceiling and another ceiling after that?
MARVIN BAGLEY III: Yeah, I'm far from done. Always opportunities to get better. I feel like personally, I'm just getting started in terms of finding a rhythm for myself and helping the team. So yeah, for me, the mindset is just getting better every single day. Every day just coming in and doing something that can help me grow my game, to help me help the team in any way that I can, and just continue to take steps forward.
Like I said, there's always ways to get better and improve, and that's what I'm looking for every day.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports