Q. You've been to many games in this building growing up. Can you imagine what the vibe is going to be like for a NBA Finals game here?
DYLAN HARPER: I mean, I feel like we kind of got a taste of it a little bit in San Antonio. I think that next game tomorrow is going to be electric. I think it's going to be through the roof. I think it's going to be everything that I've kind of seen or dreamed of times 10. Obviously being in the Finals. But excited to be out there, excited just to play, really.
Q. One of the big stories coming back to New York is Jalen Brunson. You guys have done a great job making him miss shots, but he still made a couple of really big ones in the last few minutes of both games. Can you speak to how difficult of a cover he is in those moments?
DYLAN HARPER: I mean, he's a great player. I feel like he kind of likes moments like that. He steps up in those big moments. I think for us we have to keep doubling down on our game plan, kind of just seeing what works and just keep going to that.
So he makes big shots. That's kind of the type of player he is. But for us, we can't get too down on things like that. We got to just keep on applying the pressure.
Q. What was it like through your rookie season to not only find your footing in this league but to see your brother Ron do it as well? And what did you see from him going against him and just watching him from afar in Boston?
DYLAN HARPER: Obviously he started off in the G [League] and now he's got a guaranteed contract. So just for me just to watch him and watch him grow as a player was special. Obviously I think I have kind of known the type of player he's been for a while, and now to see the whole world is, I wouldn't expect anything else.
But for me, I think finding my footing was easy with the type of team we have. A whole lot of vets to help me around. They told me I'm going to make mistakes, but it's how you respond and how you bounce back to those mistakes. But for us to both have the year we had I think it's a big plus for us.
Q. Where do you get your confidence playing the way you do? It's definitely no fluke.
DYLAN HARPER: My work. My preparation. I think to be who I want to be in this league I feel like you kind of have to have that confidence. If I want to go out there and perform and I want to play like how I want to play, I just have to double down on my work ethic. I feel like that's kind of been at the top of everything recently, and I think now more than ever, I think it's starting to show.
Q. We could feel the excitement when you talk about playing here for the Finals. How do you use that excitement and funnel it toward playing possibly one of the best games of your career, versus the opposite?
DYLAN HARPER: I think you have to use that type of excitement and that gratefulness just as fuel. I think use it as fuel to go and win games like this in the Garden. If you want to go win, you got to be greedy in a sense. I feel like I'm kind of used my excitement to be here, my excitement to play 45 minutes from home as kind of fuel to the fire.
Q. What's your mindset going into Game 3 in one word and why that word?
DYLAN HARPER: Desperation. I think for me I feel like I'm at my best when I play with that type of desperation. I think that's what's kind of needed for this occasion.
I feel like I'm going to go out there and no matter what the circumstances are, I think if I'm not playing with that type of fire or grit, I'm doing a disservice to everyone.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports